Sanae Takaichi has been elected Japan's new prime minister, becoming the first woman to hold the post after her appointment earlier this month as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The election took place in the first round of voting, thanks to the parliamentary control secured by the party and its alliance with Nippon Ishin (JIP), prevailing over the opposition candidate with 237 votes, against 149 for former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, out of a total of 465 seats in the lower house of parliament.
The new prime minister succeeds Shigeru Ishiba, whose cabinet resigned en masse after losing its majority in both chambers in the final year of its term. Takaichi will then be tasked with appointing the members of the new cabinet, who will then be presented to the Emperor of Japan for the official inauguration ceremony.
A former Minister of Internal Affairs and a well-known figure on the Japanese right, the new 64-year-old prime minister will face the daunting task of governing without a stable majority domestically , seeking support among the opposition forces to advance legislation. The JIP, although part of the coalition, will not have a role in the new cabinet and will serve in an advisory capacity. In foreign and defense policy, Takaichi immediately decided to accelerate progress.
Local media are anticipating the revision of three key strategic documents to further increase military spending and strengthen the Tokyo-Washington axis , signaling a renewed willingness to align with US demands on defense and security. In line with the commitment made in 2022 to increase the defense budget to 2% of GDP by 2027, Takaichi stated that Japan will have to "cross that threshold sooner or later" to respond to growing regional threats. These spending increases will be financed by new tax revenues, including taxes on businesses, income, and tobacco.
The new leader's first international engagement is expected to be attending an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Malaysia. Immediately afterward, , on an official visit to Japan. Both events are scheduled for the end of the month.
