Public sentiment regarding Sanae Takaichi's election as Japan's first female prime minister is polarized. Many celebrate her leadership potential and the historical significance of her role, focusing on her abilities rather than her gender. However, there are notable concerns about her hardline conservative policies, particularly related to immigration and nationalism, and skepticism about her affiliations with the ruling party and the impact of her policies on societal issues. While some express pride and optimism, others fear that her leadership may continue existing political problems and exacerbate nationalistic tendencies.

Sanae Takaichi

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)

Foreign media

Margaret Thatcher is her hero, but IMO she makes Thatcher look like a dove

1. “We can shut down broadcasters for bias.” As MIC minister in 2016 she said stations that keep airing “politically biased” programs could be suspended. Press-freedom folks blasted it as chilling.  ￼

2. 2023 Broadcast Law docs: vow → walk-back. When internal files about political pressure on TV surfaced, she called them “fabricated” and vowed to resign if genuine; the ministry later acknowledged the docs were theirs, and she backpedaled.  ￼

2. Neo-Nazi photo. Posed with Kazunari Yamada (NSJAP). She said she didn’t know who he was.  ￼

3. “Hitler’s Election Strategy.” Appeared in a magazine ad endorsing a book praising Hitler’s campaign tactics; later said she didn’t recall it.  ￼

4. Yasukuni as signal. A repeat visitor while in office, knowing the diplomatic blowback this triggers with China/S. Korea.  ￼

5. Nara deer claims. Said foreigners were “kicking” the sacred deer in Nara; reporters and local officials noted no evidence. (It became a campaign talking point anyway.)  ￼

6. Harder line on foreigners. Framed tourism/immigration as a public-order issue; claimed many foreign suspects avoid indictments due to interpreter shortages.  ￼

7. Family policy rhetoric. Long opposed optional dual surnames and same-sex marriage; has warned changes could “destroy the social structure based on family units.”  ￼

TL;DR: Media control talk, wartime-memory signaling, and “order first” messaging around foreigners—plus VERY conservative family-policy rhetoric.

SOURCE: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanae_Takaichi

JibunNiMakenai

I'm pretty sure that Japan has a 50years of being under the control of a right-wing nationalist party.

Yorukira

Wonder how long this one will last in office.

RhymesWithGohan

Call me crazy, but countries around the world turning to xenophobic right wing authoritarians doesn't bode well for humanity. Feels like a prelude to something much worse.

TheJaybo

[deleted]

It's telling that even Japan manages to get populists in power by blaming immigration. Xenophobia is a real powerful distraction.

Axelwickm

TBTabby

mark my words, the first woman president of the US will also be a (christian) nationalist right winger

postmoderno

Well, isn't the world becoming a fun place /s

Hexatona

For FUCK'S sake, why is everyone on this right wing xenophobia shit lately?

Yukondano2

What policy platform did she campaign on? I'm curious since usually right wingers are isolationists around the world and japan is already dying due it's isolated culture.

giratina143

so my understanding is that japan operates on a parliamentary system. important question is: is her party the majority? if not, are they in a coalition? 

because if they are a minority without a coalition, no confidence vote can kick off another election.

Bob_Juan_Santos

I wonder how big of a part Johnny Somali played in increasing her popularity.

Mr-Klaus

I guess it’s a deeply human instinct that when big problems emerge, we slam the brakes and try to hit it into reverse.

SissyCouture

I mean the right wing has essentially dominated Japanese politics since WW2. All the imperialists that were allowed to remain in government just started the conservative party. There was a brief handover in like the 90s but then it was back to the conservatives. 

Ok-disaster2022

"Wait, Japan is right-wing and incredibley xenophobic?" Always has been.

Desecratr

This will surely help Japan’s dwindling birth rates! /s

GhostRappa95

More and more far right parties are winning elections. Feels like a repeat of the 1930’s

ScoobiesSnacks

I am so fucking exhausted with right wingers getting elected

Z0MGbies

Reading up on her via various articles, she's not exactly what she herself portends to be and much less suited to fix the biggest issues plaguing Japan. The rightwing aspect to her has to translate into improving their economy, which requires reaching out to the opposition party and building coalitions. She has no record of doing that in the past.

Thurkin

I'm sure that another government led by old rich racists will certainly resolve all the pressing issues Japan has to deal with.

Hate is just the easy way to distract people from the actual problem/s.

weirdkindofawesome

Why does Japan have the apetite for a nationalist leader? Japan is an ethnostste. They don't have migrants to be mad about.

Heliosvector

SpaceBoJangles

Like many other rich and powerful Japanese (like the late PM Shinzo Abe), she is a member of Nippon Kaigi, an ultra-right Japanese ultra-nationalist group that wants to "Make Japan Great Again," to coin a phrase. They want to kick out all the filthy foreigners, and they think a woman's job in society is to make babies and rice. 

Of course, if it means they win important offices, the misogynists of Nippon Kaigi set their ideals aside temporarily and allow a woman to participate. And like every other woman and minority willingly participating in governments that want to ultimately put chains on them, she undoubtedly thinks SHE will get a free pass.

Ultra-right authoritarianism is on the rise worldwide.

DrColdReality

:( between this and the damn influencers, Japan is gonna go full isolationist before i ever get a chance to visit it

JPGer

Oh boy, I can't wait to be a foreigner in Japan. Oh wait, I already am. Well shit.

Krocsyldiphithic

The fucks the world all heading right wing? 
We gonna mess the world up so bad! 

Mutantdogboy

I tried to tell Redditors, when you don’t take a reasonable calculated small numbers approach to immigration you create a huge opportunity for right wing nationalists and people who are for immigration 0.

But every time you call out mass migration as nefarious and damaging to societies they call you racist, xebophobic yadi yada until we get actual right wing radicals in power 

Expect this to continue, the UK is certainly up next with their ridiculous approach to mass migration and their awful arrogant government 

Reasonable, small number immigration with high integration = positive for a country

Mass migration, “asylum seeking” (economic migrants in nearly all cases) by millions = awful for social cohesion, public services and a golden opportunity for actual far righters to take power


edit: in this case it's mass migrations **plans** that contributed significantly to her election

Extasio

The whole world is going far right, wtaf is happening.

the_no_name_man

Japan turning further to anti-immigration as their population craters is one hell of a choice.

I guess it makes sense, the polls are overwhelmingly dominated by old people now

Pacify_

Why does she look like Japanese Laura Loomer 😭

bozon92

Title is a bit misleading. Her predecessor resigned and her party have selected her as the new leader. She hasn't been elected by the public.

loki19222

"Takaichi is a member of the [ultranationalist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultranationalist) organisation, [Nippon Kaigi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Kaigi).[^(\[42\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanae_Takaichi#cite_note-The_Conversation-42)

Takaichi often cites [Margaret Thatcher](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher) as a role model.[^(\[4\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanae_Takaichi#cite_note-:3-4)[^(\[53\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanae_Takaichi#cite_note-Iron_Lady-53) Takaichi also has the nickname "Iron Lady", like Thatcher.[^(\[53\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanae_Takaichi#cite_note-Iron_Lady-53)[^(\[54\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanae_Takaichi#cite_note-54)[^(\[55\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanae_Takaichi#cite_note-55)"

Hahaha, fuck.

Usagor

Weaboos when the find out Japan is one of the most Authoritarian, Misogynistic, and Racist states on the planet.

NederFinsUK

TheGreatGamer1389

Correct me if I am wrong but isn’t left wing in Japan just right wing and right wing is even more right wing

BeTheOne0

Glad-Lynx-5007

Not good. She sounds like she is a step away from being a Sanseito member.

LadySayoria

Ooof. Nippon Maggie Thatcher.  So sorry Japanese folk.

overfiend1976

The LDP have been crippling their country both economically and socially for decades. She’ll continue this no doubt.

FullNefariousness303

RayesArmstrong

Any time I hear about conservatives getting elected I feel bad for the people of that country because their life is unlikely to improve, if anything it'll get worse.

friedricewhite

W I hope she can protect japan from globalists

thederpcloud

I may not agree with her, but at least she's not a joke like a certain "first world" leader.

AbyssalBeing

no christians and electoral process to shut down the glass ceiling

j_rooker

I guess there is no chance of Dead to Rights and 731 being shown in Japan then.

ThroatEducational271

Austerity coming to Japan, they're going to hate this woman

Actual_Profile_519

mascachopo

Who cares about the gender, what are her politics

FeelinJipper

I am somehow surprised her image is not pixelated

Spiritual-Bath-666

When they US gets a first female president, she will also be a conservative.

eventualdeletion25

double-edged sword. great that conservative Japan has a female PM when they won't even recognize their own princesses to become any sort of head of state in the monarchy, but she's a hardline conservative and wishes to continue many of the social and economic policies of former PM Shinzo Abe who was famously a WWII Japanese war crimes denier and shot during campaigning activities for this very party - she's also very against same-sex marriage and a number of other social policies.

BananaD0ng

Good for them, heard she believes in “Japan for the Japanese” right on, hope they can fix the anti family work culture they have tho.

QuietLocomotion

So? It doesn’t matter what gender she is, only what she can do for Japan matters.

suck-on-my-unit

Maleficent_Law_1082

&gt;hardline conservative

This is another addition to my pet theory that the first women to get elected into the highest post of any country are often conservatives.

Left-Ad-4226

Excellent, I wish her all the best of luck.

ProximatePenguin

CheapTail

Low_Sea9712

Why are people mad when conservative wins? OKing anything to solve the labor crisis and aging population is like allowing to be raped because you couldn't find the right person on time. People should learn to shut up

ilikesteaksomuch

Fantastic news! Someone who will actually look out for the Japanese people for once.

slutwifekcuck

Happy for Japan, hopefully they will stop indian and muslim immigration ASAP!

Educational_Belt_816

welcome back to 2012 levels of asian geopolitical instability

FaithfulPichu

Well, hopefully she lasts longer than her british contemporaries.

H345Y

Let Japan alone if you are not live in Japan.

auchinleck917

I’m not one to shame people for how they look. But she has a very scary looking uncanny valley face.

zahrawins

SkyPirateVyse

Great, more conservatives bossing about how to destroy their country the best, just what Japan needed as they continue to refuse change and fall further behind.

Hdjbbdjfjjsl

I just think which ever wins will be talk of the town anyway whether is positive or negative.

There will be those who are glad that Sanae won and obviously those who will curse and say Japan is done.

While if Koizumi won, still people will praise or curse the same way.

Honestly, I don’t know much of politics stuff. Just hope for the best.

Ahokai

Right now, the focus of the entire Japanese public is on economic measures, as the country has never been in such a financially difficult situation before.

And I understand that people outside of Japan are paying attention to movements regarding Japan's war crimes in WWII, but to be honest, I think ordinary people who go to work every day, stop by the supermarket on their way home and sigh at the price of rice or Meiji milk chocolate don't really give it much thought.

I'm looking forward to the abolition of the provisional gasoline and diesel delivery taxes and measures to combat rising prices.

Kinonekko

People talk about Koizumi being a puppet, and although he’s an airhead and probably is somewhat of a puppet, Takaichi herself is already acting like a puppet of Aso’s and she (at least pretends to) worships Abe. She shrugs her shoulders at the kickback scandals and feigns ignorance about the Unification Church which suggests she has her own ties like Abe. Her stance on surnames is hypocritical and her insistence that the emperor must be male is tone deaf considering current public opinion and what is going on with the imperial family.

While she’s exactly what the left doesn’t want, I don’t think she will be the prime minister that her supporters want, either. The news about Aso’s brother-in-law is already changing some minds about her and people are getting tired of the same old geezers.

bushwarblerssong

I’m just glad that the first female PM monkey is off our back (assuming no huge surprises). She won’t bring in sweeping changes to Japanese politics because unlike the POTUS she can’t make decisions unilaterally. Regarding war crimes, her stance is the status quo, meaning that facts are acknowledged but no new apologies will be issued

Freak_Out_Bazaar

I have issues with her connections to the Unification Church and her hesitance in firing politicians embroiled in the slush fund scandal.

Otherwise, she knows what to say to get the older generation to support her, such as saying "we'll gonna work like dogs". That's a very antiquated mindset. I also think it's good to have our first female prime minister and she seems more resolute and less swayed like Ishiba.

It's really hard to determine what the public wants/thinks especially in Japan because Japanese people as a whole don't speak up, even online; the ones that do are very limited. But if the public wanted Takaichi, I think it's worth giving her a shot. Though, I think LDP had its good run and hopefully she's the last LDP prime minister in this string of LDP PMs.

pizzaseafood

As a native Japanese, here's my personal assessment of the new leader. My overall conclusion is that she represents one of the more acceptable choices, though my feeling is generally neutral rather than full of anticipation. (I'm not very good at English, so I make heavy use of translation software.)

I believe her ascent was unique, seeming to be driven by LDP rank-and-file votes rather than the "old-media" hyped favorites. She appears to have learned from a previous election defeat, replacing her prior radical rhetoric with a calmer approach. I find this new political savvy and cooperative appearance to be a relief, as it should help prevent chaos in parliament.  
I think her greatest hurdle will be securing allies within the non-cooperative LDP to actually draft and execute policy.

Policy Stances

Immigration: I expect her stricter stance will lead to some rollbacks of what would be "naive" past policies that have caused social friction. But then, I believe any Japanese leader must recognize the necessity of (good) foreign workers.

Fiscal Policy: The market may be disappointed by her commitment to proactive fiscal spending funded by bonds. However, I'm hopeful this might break the bureaucratic "curse" of the primary balance target.  
I hope she can implement policies effectively... That said, her personal experience in elder care has led her to promise increased spending in that sector, but I doubt she'll dismantle the existing, somewhat "aristocratic," social security systems (like door-to-door care). That is an area where dumb debt is likely to swell significantly. umm.

National Security &amp; Energy: I personally have expectations for her focus on economic and energy security, including implementing a Japanese version of the CFIUS.  
In my view, this energy security focus inevitably means an acceleration of nuclear power policy, because continuing to spend fortunes on thermal power is economically irrational. But the public's ”zero-risk mentality” means this will be a severe test of her leadership.

Final Thoughts  
Her policies currently feel vague, and implementation is the real test.  
It's a relief she's a "became a little mild” extremist.  
In the end, the mere fact that the prime minister is a woman is unlikely to bring about revolutionary change.  
That's both a good and bad thing. Even so, it certainly feels like we're living in interesting times in Japanese politics.

Clear-Hovercraft-754

Honestly, the idea that she’ll be “strict on tourists” or that she “won’t acknowledge war crimes” feels more like speculation than something based on solid evidence.

Japanese people are not denying what is already written in our own textbooks. Those concerns are coming from outside perspectives shaped by propaganda narratives—especially ones often spread with a negative agenda.

That said, she is certainly a conservative figure in line with the Liberal Democratic Party, but I don’t think she holds any extreme views. Personally, I just hope her actual policies will turn out to benefit the people.

Few_Palpitation6373

What voters rejected in July’s House of Councillors election was the Liberal Democratic Party corrupted by the former Abe faction. Yet, for some reason the LDP chose someone from that still-corrupt faction as its party president and therefore as prime minister. The LDP truly seems blind to reality.

wAsTedtIMes-rEsouRcE

The LDP sucks and she's not going to change that.

AiRaikuHamburger

Being the successor of Shinzo Abe, who was full of corruption, I feel absolutely terrible.

In Japan, where voter turnout is low, organizational votes are crucial. The LDP has been making slush funds and teaming up with the Unification Church since the Abe administration to mobilize them. Just knowing there’s even a chance they’ll continue down that path makes me want to die.

kametoddler

It’s LDP, it’s just gonna be corrupted lol

AnOrdinaryFrog

War crimes are irrelevant. Japan has already apologized and paid compensation. There is no need to put up with China and Korea's masturbation.

And what foreigners don't realize is that she is a moderate. The LDP is center-right, not far-right. That's CCP propaganda.

The LDP chose her, a hawk within the party, because votes were going to actual far-right parties.
In other words, they are trying to prevent Japan from becoming far-right.

It's really funny how Chinese and Americans are making a fuss about this.
Because their country is the real far right.

The far right in Japan is talking about putting the Japanese first. Does that sound like a phrase you've heard somewhere before? And it goes without saying that China. We don't need to listen to the criticism of idiots who are firing missiles around Taiwan. Plus they support the terrorist state of Russia, so their ethics are crap.

When will they be able to move beyond the WWII era and see themselves objectively? Since WWII, it has been them who have been causing trouble to the world, not Japan. Yet they are so desperate to criticize and project Japan onto them that it's hilarious. Their country's propaganda is so bad it's making people stupid.

testman22

I have a vague sense of unease, but to be honest, it’s still too early to tell. My main concerns are twofold: a populist approach to immigration and tourism policy, and a populist approach to energy policy.

Regarding the first point, in the best-case scenario, she would continue the LDP’s long-standing goal of attracting 60 million tourists and, like Shinzo Abe, maintain the official stance that “Japan does not have an immigration policy” while quietly preserving and improving the systems that allow immigrants to work in Japan. In the worst-case scenario, however, she could implement policies that restrict the growing number of immigrants and tourists — both of which have been a very positive trend — and cause devastating damage to Japan’s demographics and economy.

As for energy policy, I’m worried that she might take a hostile stance toward renewable energy and electric vehicles. In Japan’s online right-wing communities, misinformation targeting solar power has been spreading rapidly. Populist narratives around fossil fuel prices have also become common across the political spectrum, and as far as I can tell, Taro Kono is the only lawmaker who clearly recognizes this as a problem.

I don’t think she would outright reverse Japan’s existing commitment to carbon neutrality. However, there is a real possibility that she would leave unaddressed the shortcomings of the current energy policy that could be improved, cut necessary subsidies, or introduce new regulations that raise the construction costs of renewable power plants due to NIMBY-style opposition. If that happens, electricity prices would rise, Japan would continue to rely heavily on imported fossil fuels, and the downward pressure on real wages would persist. That would be very bad for the Japanese economy.

ChocolateDesigner22

Her biggest issues is going to be, how to fix the high cost of living, population and over worked crisis.

Miserable_Jump_9548

Who cares what the stance of people are on history and war crimes as long as the nation stays out of future wars, I just want less of that 10%

snks-65

DontPoopInMyPantsPlz

Reminds me of the late Abe. Don't like the keep foreigners out policy. But an overall like.

AlphaDisconnect

What I realized looking at all replies from reddit posts is that people have zero idea what Japanese political theater is. Close to zero. 

Also lol her concern isn't about the damn tourists or foreigners living here. If the media starts pushing the obvious narrative, that’s a decoy. It’s to keep the clueless crowd like redditors focused on fluff instead of what’s really happening behind the scenes. And look, it's really working! Congrats OP

First and foremost, her first fight will be against the interest rate keepers at the mof and boj where the real power resides. PM doesn't hold shit. Ishiba couldn't even touch them because he knew his limits. Everything else is already predetermined by other ministries and supreme court drafters. 

Japanese politics = bureaucratic and feudalism by the mof and boj.

U.S. politics = lobbyist capitalism.

The politicians are just front faces. Everything else is performative theater meant to keep the public dumb and distracted. The real deals happen at kaiha dinners in Akasaka and some other obscure places during settais not ok podiums at the diet.

People really don’t understand how politics work not here, not even in the U.S. The bureaucrats and lobbyists are laughing while the naive redditors eat up sensationalist headlines

I’m begging you all to study how this stuff actually works. That includes OP.

Gmellotron_mkii

I'm concerned about this a bit considering all the Sanseito antics that have caused anti-foreigner sentiments. Many people say it's "only online" or just "crazy people" but I see some of the same tendencies in some of my uni students in-person. Nothing overt, just comments in passing that let me know that's what/how they think.

At any rate, what I've noticed digging through her Wikipedia in both English and in Japanese is that the English version is much harsher on her right-wing stances. The Japanese Wikipedia includes them as well, but also includes a few items that aren't that bad. Although there is a lot that appears hypocritical, such as her simultaneously calling for stricter immigration policies, anti-foreigner suffrage, and wanting to restrict welfare access by foreigners yet simultaneously promoting legislation against hate speech targeted at foreigners.

Right now I feel like the only reasons she was selected are:

* she's a hard-line right-winger who agrees with all the patriarchal dinosaurs in the Diet
* her being a woman can/is being used as a distraction against their hard-line right-wing policies
* she'll be a scapegoat to promote further patriarchal rhetoric when the economy and declining birthrate worsens

Among my Japanese friends and acquaintances I don't see much deep analysis of it, unfortunately. What little analysis there is is typically fueled by conspiracy theories like foreigners leeching off of welfare, not being required to pay taxes, etc.

AverageHobnailer

It feels like the first step toward Japan moving in the right direction.

Renafav

WW2 was over 80 years ago.

What does acknowledging war crimes do for you in 2025? For a lot of people on reddit, their grandpa wasn't even alive then.

We all know it happened, we all know who did it, move on. For the most part, Japan's education system is better than the rest of the world. The children know that war is bad far better than other country's adults.

Muted-Law-1556

She’s regarded as a far-right politician, so I was disappointed when she was elected. Still, I don’t think there’s much she can do in the current situation. I’m a bit worried, but also somewhat excited to see how the next election — which will probably be held soon — will turn out, as it could be turning point for LDP, sanseito, and Japanese politics.

SInoburedo0704

Delicious_Bowler2554

She just became the head of the Liberal Democratic Party, which can no longer even secure a majority. Her personal beliefs don’t matter much. The will of the people has already been made clear.

Dense-Active-648

I don't want to think about it anymore. Stop it. The world is only getting worse.

watalily-2537

i have this weird feeling that they put her there to take the fall

litejzze

Doesn't really matter since all of the candidates had similar/same policies

Still_Complaint6541

Her being a female means nothing. I'm glad she's conservative. She'll fix a lot of nonsense going on over there

PostNutPrivilege

Look she is Aso's puppet so look at him for what will be future policies
Just go back to 2012 and repeat everything again with the same characters (minus one....)

Agreeable_Mud_8338

Most of the people I know seems to be disinterested. Females are little bit happy because she is woman but even they are saying nothing's actually going to change. One colleague told me "all of them are dumb, she maybe little bit better than the other dumbos"

incredible_ahiru

bear in mind that very few Japanese people speak English, so you’re getting opinions from a pretty educated/internationalist slice of Japanese society. I personally find her ethnonationalism really gross and stupid, but that’s been the case for like every PM in my lifetime. I think her hardline social conservativism is really out of touch with where most Japanese people are now (general Japanese attitude towards gay marriage, e.g., is, “sure fine whatever I guess”); the China hawk thing is probably closer to the median for Japanese people; unfortunately that’s just kind of where we’re at as a country now. 

Ultimately the PMs all say insane shit and go to the fuckass war criminal shrine but they generally just flop about being useless for a year or two until they get the boot, so it’s hard to see her as an existential threat the way Americans might see Trump or the French might see Le Pen.

Turbulent-Rich281

Well we needed a nationalist but some of her ideas being against “work life balance” won’t fix anything and it’s just another boomer idea. We do need to address the elephant in the room and is immigration, over stayers out and fake asylum seekers. I don’t have much hope though, Japanese politicians have the tendency to speak about promises and what not just for them to step down due to some corruption scandal. I don’t see her win as a positive or negative, I mean it’s great she’s first female Japanese PM but we’ll see in 8 months.

Pristine-Button8838

Sanae Takaichi has emerged as Japan's first female prime minister, facing significant challenges in economics and geopolitical relations.

Sanae Takaichi's Rise as Japan's First Female Prime Minister

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