Japan’s ruling party sets Sanae Takaichi to likely become first female PM

Japan’s governing party on Saturday elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, making her likely to become the country’s first female prime minister.

The unprecedented development would allow Takaichi, one of the most conservative members of the male-dominated party, to make history as the first female leader of Japan’s long-governing conservative Liberal Democratic Party.

Five candidates — two currently serving and three former ministers — were vying for the LDP presidency.

Takaichi beat Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of popular former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, in a runoff in an intraparty vote by the LDP.

She now replaces Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba as the party hopes to regain public support and stay in power after major election losses.

Her party remains by far the largest in the lower house, which determines the national leader, and because opposition groups are highly splintered.

Saturday’s vote only involved 295 LDP parliamentarians and about 1 million dues-paying members. It only reflected 1% of the Japanese public.

A parliamentary vote is expected in mid-October. The LDP, which has been criticised by opposition leaders for creating a prolonged political vacuum, needs to hurry because the winner will soon face a diplomatic test: a possible summit with US President Donald Trump, who could demand that Japan increase its defence spending.

A meeting is reportedly being planned for late October when Trump will travel to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea, starting on 31 October.