- Born:
- March 7, 1961, Yamatokōriyama, Nara prefecture, Japan (age 65)
- Title / Office:
- prime minister (2025-), Japan
- Political Affiliation:
- Liberal-Democratic Party of Japan
Sanae Takaichi
Who is Sanae Takaichi?
What is notable about Sanae Takaichi’s early life and education?
How did Sanae Takaichi become prime minister of Japan?
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Sanae Takaichi (born March 7, 1961, Yamatokōriyama, Nara prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese politician who serves as the leader of the Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) and prime minister of Japan (2025– ). She is the first woman to hold either position. Before becoming prime minister, she served in important cabinet positions under both the Fumio Kishida and Shinzo Abe administrations. She is known for her hardline conservative views. She has cited Margaret Thatcher as one of her primary inspirations throughout her political career and, like Thatcher, has been referred to as the “Iron Lady” in international media.
Early life
Takaichi was born in the city of Yamatokōriyama in Nara prefecture. Unlike many Japanese political figures, she did not come from a political family. Her father worked for an automotive manufacturer, and her mother was employed by the prefectural police.
When she reached college age, she was accepted to several elite universities in Tokyo, but her parents opposed her pursuing higher education away from home and refused to pay tuition if she moved away. She ultimately attended Kobe University, commuting long distances for her classes. During this time she became passionate about heavy metal music and played the drums in a band. She also became a motorcycle enthusiast. She graduated in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Political career
Takaichi moved to the United States in 1987 and interned for Democratic congresswoman Patricia Schroeder of Colorado. After returning to Japan in 1989, she wrote books on American politics and worked as a television presenter before entering electoral politics. She made her first bid for elected office in 1992 as an independent candidate but was unsuccessful. The following year she won a seat in the House of Representatives. Shinzo Abe entered the Diet in the same year, and the two would ultimately forge a long-term political alliance. Takaichi joined the LDP in 1995.
Between 1996 and 2004 she held several junior government positions, including serving as parliamentary vice minister of international trade and industry under Prime Minister Obuchi Keizo and senior vice minister of economy, trade, and industry under Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
In 2003 Takaichi lost her seat to a Democratic Party challenger and spent her time out of office teaching economics at Kinki University. She returned to the Diet in 2005.
Abe period (2006–07; 2012–20)
After Abe became prime minister, Takaichi emerged as one of his most reliable conservative allies and held a succession of high-profile cabinet roles. She served as minister of state for various policy areas, including Okinawa and the Northern Territories; science and technology policy; innovation; gender equality; and food safety.
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During this period she became associated with the nationalist wing of the LDP. She made repeated visits to Yasukuni Shrine, often at times when other cabinet ministers avoided doing so because of the site’s connection to Japan’s wartime past. In 2014 photographs emerged of Takaichi with Kazunari Yamada, leader of a Japanese neo-Nazi group. Takaichi said she had been unaware of his affiliations. About the same time, a 1994 book endorsement resurfaced in which she had written positively about a work praising Adolf Hitler’s electoral strategy.
Takaichi urged Abe to de-emphasize the Murayama Statement, Japan’s 1995 apology for aggression during World War II. Abe’s 2015 statement, the day before the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender, affirmed earlier apologies but argued that future generations should not be “predestined to apologize,” drawing criticism from Chinese, North Korean, and South Korean media.
She became known during these years for socially conservative positions, including opposition to recognizing same-sex marriage and to proposals allowing separate spousal surnames or female succession to the imperial throne—stances that many commentators have described as anti-feminist.
In 2016 she suggested that broadcasters airing politically biased content could have their operations suspended by the government. This prompted a statement from the U.S. State Department about political pressure on independent media in Japan.
During her time in Abe’s cabinets she also oversaw redistricting in Nara and administered COVID-19 cash relief programs. She remained a central figure within Abe’s administrations and consistently won reelection.
Suga period (2020–21)
During the short-lived premiership of Yoshihide Suga, Takaichi made her first run for the LDP presidency, a position historically tied to the prime ministership. She was eliminated in the first round of voting, with Fumio Kishida ultimately winning the position.
Kishida period (2021–24)
Under Prime Minister Kishida, Takaichi served as minister for economic security. She played a central role in drafting legislation to create a security-clearance system intended to bring Japan’s handling of sensitive information closer in line with intelligence-sharing partners such as the Five Eyes. The legislation passed in 2024.
She also became embroiled in controversy over a ministry document produced during her earlier term as communications minister, which suggested that the Abe government had considered pressuring critical broadcasters. Takaichi insisted that the document was fabricated and said she would resign if proven otherwise. The authenticity of the document was later confirmed. Takaichi did not step down.
After Kishida announced he would not seek reelection as party leader in 2024, Takaichi ran again for the LDP presidency but was defeated by Shigeru Ishiba.
Ishiba period (2024–25)
Ishiba’s premiership lasted only a year before he announced his intention to resign, creating an opening for a new leadership contest. Takaichi entered the race for a third time and won both rounds.
Premiership (2025– )
Takaichi became prime minister on October 21, 2025. In her first policy speech three days later, she laid out an ambitious economic plan focused on fighting inflation with major fiscal spending. She pledged to raise incomes, increase support for households, raise the income tax exemption threshold, and create a new council to promote innovation and crisis management policy. She also committed to faster military buildup, targeting a defense budget equivalent to 2 percent of Japan’s gross domestic product by fiscal year 2025.
Dispute with China
In November 2025, within a month of becoming prime minister, Takaichi ignited a diplomatic crisis with China by telling the Diet that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute “a situation threatening Japan’s survival”—language suggesting the possibility of Japanese military intervention in support of Taiwan.
The reaction from Beijing was swift and severe. China’s foreign ministry condemned the remarks, and the Chinese consul-general in Osaka, Xue Jian, posted on X, “We have no choice but to cut off that dirty neck that has lunged at us without a moment’s hesitation. Are you ready?”
The comment was soon deleted after condemnation from Japanese, Taiwanese, and U.S. officials. Both Japan and China issued travel advisories and summoned the other’s ambassadors, and China increased coast guard and drone activity near the disputed Senkaku Islands.
2026 snap election
Takaichi called a snap general election on February 8, 2026 that resulted in a landslide victory for the LDP. The party won 316 of the 465 seats in the House of Representatives, marking the first time since World War II that a single party controlled more than two-thirds of the lower house of the Diet.
The result represented a dramatic reversal of fortune for the LDP, which had experienced prolonged instability following the assassination of Shinzo Abe in 2022. Both Fumio Kishida and Shigeru Ishiba resigned as party leader amid low approval ratings and political controversies, and under Ishiba the LDP lost its majority in the House of Representatives in 2024 for the first time since 2009.
Takaichi’s electoral success consolidated her authority within the party and reflected broad public support for her economic agenda, expanded defense spending, restrictive immigration rhetoric, and hardline approach to China.