Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan’s First Female Premier Minister by John Geddie
LIVE: Sanae Takaichi Elected as the Japan’s First Female Prime Minister
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister Tuesday, a day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner expected to pull her governing bloc further to the right. Takaichi replaces Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and wrangling since the Liberal Democratic Party’s disastrous election loss in July. Ishiba, who lasted only one year as prime minister, resigned with his Cabinet earlier in the day, paving the way for his successor. Takaichi won 237 votes — four more than a majority — compared to 149 won by Yoshikoko Noda, head of the largest opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, in the lower house, which elects the prime minister. Even though her coalition was two seats short of a majority, Takaichi received enough votes to win in the first round. She likely received votes from lawmakers in fringe minority parties from whom she has sought cooperation.
TOKYO, Oct 21 (Reuters) – Hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi was voted in by parliament as Japan’s first female prime minister on Tuesday, emulating her hero, Britain’s late leader Margaret Thatcher, after a whirlwind few weeks of political wrangling.
Having won an all-male race to be chosen by her ruling Liberal Democratic Party as its leader on October 5, Takaichi had to scramble for support after her party’s more moderate coalition partner quit their 26-year alliance.
Attention now turns to her big spending plans that may jolt investor confidence in one of the world’s most indebted economies, and her nationalistic positions that could stoke friction with powerful neighbour China, political analysts say.
‘ABENOMICS’ ADVOCATE MAY CAUSE SHOCKWAVES
Takaichi, 64, who narrowly lost in a run-off to lead the LDP last year, must also prepare to host U.S. President Donald Trump who is due to visit Japan next week.
A former economic security and interior minister, Takaichi has repeatedly referred to Thatcher as a source of inspiration, citing her strong character and convictions coupled with her “womanly warmth”.
She said she met the conservative Thatcher, a divisive figure in British politics known as “the Iron Lady”, at a symposium shortly before Thatcher’s death in 2013.
Like Thatcher, Takaichi’s relatively humble background – her mother was a police officer and her father worked at a car company – stands out in a party where many leaders hail from elite political families. To read more go to the link below:
