Sanae Takaichi has won a historic vote to become Japan’s first female Prime Minister.
The hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi was elected Tuesday October 21, by lawmakers in Japan as Prime Minister, making her the first woman in modern times to lead the country.
Takaichi, 64, the new leader of the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was elected by lawmakers in the lower house of parliament by a vote of 237-149 over her closest rival, Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the Liberal opposition Constitution Democratic Party.
She was also elected by upper house lawmakers in a second vote of 125-46 after falling one vote shy of majority in the first round.
Her election is a milestone in a country where women are severely underrepresented in government.
Sanae Takaichi known as “Japan’s Iron Lady” – She’s an admirer of the UK’s former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and the fourth PM in five years from her scandal-hit party, LDP.
She belongs to the LDP’s hardline wing and a protege of late PM Shinzo Abe.
Takaichi is expected to be sworn in as the country’s 104th Prime Minister on Tuesday evening.
She will have to answer to the country’s of over 120 million people, many of whom are struggling with high inflation and rising costs, and tackle the country’s discontented voters -some of by whom voted for far-right parties after simmering discontentment with mainstream politics.
Takaichi enters office with a fragile coalition and facing a number of pressing challenges, including a visit next week by President Donald Trump.
-9News Nigeria.
