- Sanae Takaichi elected as Japan's first female prime minister, replacing Shigeru Ishiba
- Takaichi is a conservative, longtime LDP member and protege of Shinzo Abe
- She is expected to continue Abe's Indo-Pacific policies and deepen Quad engagement
Hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi has been elected Japan's first female prime minister after a whirlwind few weeks of political wrangling. Takaichi replaced former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba after the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party suffered disastrous losses in July elections for parliament's upper house and lost its majority in the lower house last year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his wishes to Sanae Takaichi on her election and said that he looks forward to strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Heartiest congratulations, Sanae Takaichi, on your election as the Prime Minister of Japan. I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Our deepening ties are vital for peace, stability, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific and beyond."
About Sanae Takaichi
Takaichi, a prominent voice of the LDP's conservative wing, was elected as the leader of the party after receiving 185 votes. She defeated Shinjiro Shinjiro, who garnered 156 votes in a runoff after none of the five candidates in the party leadership race secured a majority in the initial round of voting.
Takaichi joined Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party in 1996 and entered the Cabinet for the first time under former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. She held the position of the Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs. Later, she went on to become the first woman to chair the LDP's Policy Research Council.
From 2022 to 2024, Takaichi was Japan's Economic Security Minister. She also holds the record as the longest-serving Minister for Internal Affairs, a post she held in several tenures. As the Prime Minister, Takaichi will serve the remainder of former PM Shigeru Ishiba's three-year term.
What Takaichi's Rise Means For India
A protege of assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi is expected to emulate his policies, including stronger geopolitical ties with India. Abe's tenure in office (2012-2020) is seen as the golden period for India-Japan ties.
Takaichi is known for her "hawkish" position on China and North Korea, and a keen defender of Japan's traditional social fabric. But she's a technocrat and is likely to seek a closer strategic engagement with Indo-Pacific partners.
"She will likely continue to focus on the Indo-Pacific as Abe did, and we can expect her to be more proactive about the Quad engagement as well," former Ambassador to Japan Deepa Wadhwa said during a conversation with The Hindu.
Abe's initiation of the US-India-Australia-Japan grouping earned him the name "Quadfather".
Unlike many Japanese leaders whose India connections begin after assuming office, Takaichi has maintained close ties with New Delhi over the years.
She met Prime Minister Modi in 2015 and 2017 as Communications Minister and held talks over digital economy co-operation, smart city projects and cybersecurity. In the past, she had also praised India's role in the Indo-Pacific, calling New Delhi "a democratic, technological and manufacturing partner critical for supply chain diversification".
But, with her potentially weak grip on power, it's not clear how much Takaichi will be able to achieve.
