Japan on Tuesday got its first woman Prime Minister as Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi was elected by the parliament. Takaichi garnered 237 votes in the lower house of Parliament, defeating Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Yoshihiko Noda, who received 149 votes. The 64-year-old Takaichi had emerged as the leading contender to succeed former Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba.
Japan’s First Female PM Sanae Takaichi On Work-Life Balance
In her historic first speech as the first woman to lead the country, Takaichi emphasised rebuilding Japan through the cooperation of each generation and relentless work as she took office on Tuesday. While addressing the members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) who elected her, Takaichi vowed to keep her promises and emphasised the need for unity across all generations. She called for everyone’s active participation in rebuilding the nation, acknowledging the limited number of people involved.
With a sense of urgency and determination, she urged everyone to “work like a horse.” Rejecting the concept of work-life balance for herself, Takaichi declared her commitment to relentless effort, repeating, “I’ll work, work, work, work, and work.”
“I will keep my promises. We can only rebuild by reuniting every generation and with everybody’s participation. Because there are only a few of us, I ask everybody to work; Work like a horse. I myself will cast aside the idea of “work-life balance”. I’ll work, work, work, work, and work,” Takaichi said.
PM Takaichi further stressed on the need for swift implementation of several policies and called on the efforts to make LDP more spirited. Takaichi said, “At this moment, rather than feeling happy, I feel the hardship that is to come. There are overwhelming amount of work that we must do together. That is what I believe. There are many policies that needs to be quickly implemented. Together, we will make the LDP a more spirited, positive, and energetic party. Efforts are also required to make LDP a party that can turn people’s anxieties into hope.”
Who Is Sanae Takaichi?
Born on March 7, 1961, a self-proclaimed admirer of Margaret Thatcher, Sanae Takaichi’s political journey has been a roller coaster ride. Upon graduating from Kobe University, she became an author, a TV host, and a legislative aide. As a young student, she performed as a heavy metal drummer in a band and rode motorcycles. Her hobbies include scuba diving and watching martial arts. After serving as Liberal Democratic Party President since 2025, Takaichi became the first female to hold the position. Additionally, she is a member of Japan’s largest ultranationalist lobbying group – Nippon Kaigi.
