Japan Elects Takaichi as First Female PM

Sanae Takaichi has been elected Japan’s first female prime minister by the country’s parliament on Tuesday. The 64-year-old conservative is known as Japan’s Iron Lady for her vocal admiration of UK’s former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Takaichi succeeded in her third attempt, and she’s the fourth PM in five years from her scandal-hit party, the LDP. She belongs to the LDP’s hardline wing and is a disciple of the late former PM Shinzo Abe.

Her deeply conservative views have alarmed some centrist party members. For instance, she supports revising Japan’s pacifist constitution and often visits a controversial war shrine that includes the names of those convicted of war crimes during World War II.

She was elected prime minister by both houses of parliament. Tackling the high price of goods will be one of her first challenges; for instance, the price of rice, a staple food in Japan, has almost doubled from last year. (Agencies)