Sanae Takaichi makes history as Japan’s first woman prime minister

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Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi stands up to acknowledge the applause after she was selected as Japans new prime minister on Oct 21.

PHOTO: AFP

TOKYO – In a landmark moment for Japan, Ms Sanae Takaichi has risen to the nation’s highest political office and become its first woman prime minister after a parliamentary vote on Oct 21.

She won a simple majority of 237 votes out of 465 in the Lower House, with the remaining votes split across numerous party leaders including the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan’s Mr Yoshihiko Noda, who was runner-up at 149 votes.

Ms Takaichi, 64, often described as a hardline conservative and a protege of the late former prime minister Shinzo Abe, was

elected leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)

But her elevation to the top job was

thrown into doubt

Just 10 days later, the LDP

entered a new coalition relationship

Despite securing a majority in the PM vote, Ms Takaichi nonetheless leads a minority government as the LDP-JIP coalition is just shy of a majority in both chambers of the Diet.

“As parties sharing the same national vision, I am very much looking forward to working together to strengthen Japan’s economy and transform the country into a shape that can be responsibly passed on to future generations,” Ms