Japan shifts to the right under ‘Iron Lady’ admirer Takaichi

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Ms Sanae Takaichi broke the glass ceiling to become the nation’s leader after a parliamentary vote on Oct 21.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Ms Sanae Takaichi, the pro-stimulus conservative who has become Japan’s first female prime minister, is an energetic nationalist with a soft spot for the hard-nosed politics of Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher and the heavy metal music of Iron Maiden.

Ms Takaichi broke the glass ceiling to become

the nation’s leader after a parliamentary vote on Oct 21.

Her choice as leader is essentially a bet by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party that a swing back to the right will attract the younger voters who have flocked to smaller populist outfits, including the arch-conservative Sanseito party.

Even before becoming prime minister, Ms Takaichi has shown a steely resolve and ability to turn adversity into advantage. Her refusal to take further action on a party funding scandal prompted a shock rupture in the ruling coalition earlier this month.

After more than a quarter century of cooperation, the more moderate Komeito party bolted from the alliance while Ms Takaichi stood her ground. That fanned the prospects of an opposition bid to seize the premiership.

But Ms Takaichi quickly struck a deal with the right-leaning Japan Innovation Party, also known as Ishin, that actually gives her a closer ideological bedfellow to run her government.

Still, the choice of Ms Takaichi could backfire if the ruling party is seen simply reverting to the easy money and hawkish diplomacy of her mentor, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, without any new