Sanae Takaichi

Born in Tenri in 1961, Takaichi worked as an author and broadcaster before entering the House of Representatives as an independent in 1993, joining the LDP three years later. A protégé of Shinzo Abe, she held ministerial posts under both Abe and Fumio Kishida, including Internal Affairs and Communications and Economic Security. She ran for party leadership in 2021 and finished third, then lost a runoff to Shigeru Ishiba in 2024 despite winning the first round. In 2025 she won both rounds, defeating Shinjirō Koizumi, and was elected prime minister in October after forming a coalition with the Japan Innovation Party. Early tensions with China over her Taiwan remarks preceded her calling a snap election in 2026, which delivered a historic mandate. Her tenure has brought amendments barring female imperial succession, a flag-desecration law, the end of Japan's arms-export ban, and creation of the National Intelligence Bureau. A member of the far-right Nippon Kaigi who has criticised wartime apologies and visited Yasukuni Shrine, she describes her goal as becoming Japan's "Iron Lady".