At the beginning of the month, multiple news sources hailed the 64-year-old Sanae Takaichi as the soon-to-be first female prime minister of Japan. She is the president of the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The LDP has dominated Japanese national politics since the 1950s. This unprecedented run, with only two brief exceptions, was not always based on a parliamentary majority. The LDP often formed a coalition with the Komeito Party, a socially conservative-centrist party, which is associated with the Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai. At the last minute, this long-standing LDP-Komeito coalition fell apart, and it appeared that Sanae Takaichi would not become prime minister. However, the LDP formed a new alliance with the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP). This party is considered centre-right and more conservative than Komeito. Following the new alliance, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office on October 21. She is from Nara Prefecture, where Japan’s ancient capital is located. She graduated with a business degree from Kobe University and worked as a broadcaster before entering politics. She was elected to the House of Representatives as an independent in 1993. She later joined the LDP. She served as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. In subsequent years, she has held many ministerial positions. As Minister of State for Economic Security, she was instrumental in drafting a bill that enabled Japan’s joining of the Five Eyes. Over the years, she held five distinct cabinet positions under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was later assassinated. She won a run-off election for the presidency of the LDP at the beginning of October. .OLDCORN: Alberta NDP proves it's the government union party, not the working parents party.Prime Minister Takaichi is considered a Japanese nationalist, conservative, and a supporter of Abenomics (economic reforms introduced by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, including monetary easing, fiscal stimulus, and structural reforms). She supports revising Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, which prevents Japan from having an offensive military force. She also supports a merit-based system and has appointed members of her cabinet accordingly. Margaret Thatcher is her role model and significantly influenced her political thought. She holds a hard-line position against loosening Japan’s immigration policy and has called for a crackdown on illegal migrants. .Of special note, she is hawkish against China. She will continue Prime Minister Abe’s position regarding Taiwan. She is friendly with President Lai Ching-te and visited Taiwan in April 2025. The southernmost Japanese island is only 100 km off Taiwan’s northeast coast. She favours Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and is working to create a joint force with neighbouring countries, including Taiwan, to maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait.Prime Minister Abe was on very friendly terms with President Trump in his first term. It is generally assumed that Takaichi would maintain this strong relationship with the US President. She would continue increases in Japan’s military spending and supports working closely with the US in military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and the Taiwan Strait. At present, she does not take issue with the US tariff framework but stated she is open to renegotiating if necessary. She would seek to strengthen ties with the US while also supporting Japanese conservative values. .KEENEY: The hollow virtues of the progressive Left.Japan strengthening ties with the US under Prime Minister Takaichi, Canada is positioned as the weakest member of the Asian-Pacific region. Prime Minister Carney’s slow approach to negotiating a tariff deal with the US, while Canada’s economy implodes, demonstrates that his personal position overrides the best interests of the Canadian people. Perhaps he thinks China will save Canada. But China knows that Canada is in a weak position and will naturally negotiate terms highly favorable to itself. Dr. A.W. Barber is the former Director of Asian Studies at the University of Calgary. He is internationally active and has wide-ranging interests.
