19 h. ago Takaichi becomes Japan’s first female PM, ending political crisis

Japan’s parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister on Tuesday after her governing party secured a crucial coalition partner. Takaichi, 64, replaced Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tuesday’s parliamentary vote, ending Japan’s three-month political vacuum and wrangling since the coalition’s loss in the July parliamentary election. The moderate centrist Komeito party had split from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party after a 26-year-long...

Politics

69 h. ago Takaichi clears path to be Japan’s first female PM after new coalition deal

Japan’s ruling party and main opposition are set to form a coalition to enable Sanae Takaichi to become the country’s first female premier, local media reported on Sunday. Takaichi became leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party earlier this month, but her bid to become premier was derailed by the collapse of her ruling coalition. Since then, the LDP has been working to cobble together a different alliance, putting her chances back on track. Takaichi and her counterpart Hirofumi Yoshimura...

Politics

2 d. ago Is it time for property investors to end their love affair with Japan?

As Japan enters a new era with the likely election of Sanae Takaichi as the first female prime minister of Asia’s second-largest economy, is it time for property investors to end their enduring love affair with Japanese real estate? The 64-year-old Takaichi emerged last week as the leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, paving the way for her to seek the premiership, although uncertainties remain following the collapse of a coalition with the party’s allies. Under an anticipated...

Society

4 d. ago Turbulent Japanese politics could slow progress with China, South Korea: analysts

Japan’s unstable political landscape is expected to cast doubt over its diplomatic commitments and could hinder progress in its trilateral summit with China and South Korea, analysts have observed. Uncertainties are mounting as the path to the Japanese premiership for recently elected Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takaichi has been complicated by the abrupt exit of the LDP’s junior coalition partner, Komeito. Takaichi, aiming to be Japan’s first female prime minister, remains short of...

Politics

6 d. ago For the first time in years, Japan’s opposition sees a route to power

With Japan’s parliament poised to vote on who it wants to next lead the country, a resurgent opposition and the collapse of the ruling coalition have put the prospect of the nation’s first female prime minister in real doubt. On Tuesday, the leaders of Japan’s principal opposition factions agreed to convene in hopes of fielding a unified candidate for the top job, as they aim to break the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) 13-year grip on power. “It will be essential for us to achieve consensus on...

Politics

1 week ago Japan’s Komeito exits ruling coalition in blow to new PM Takaichi

Japan’s ruling coalition collapsed on Friday as junior partner Komeito quit the alliance, putting in peril Sanae Takaichi’s bid to become the country’s first woman prime minister. Takaichi became head of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) less than a week ago and had been expected to be approved by parliament as premier this month. But Komeito’s decision to end the alliance that has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for 25 years sank Japan into a new political crisis. The yen dropped against...

Politics

1 week ago Japan’s Komeito exits coalition, threatening Takaichi’s PM bid

Japan’s ruling coalition collapsed on Friday as junior partner Komeito quit the alliance, putting in peril Sanae Takaichi’s bid to become the country’s first woman prime minister. Takaichi became head of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) less than a week ago, and had been expected to be approved by parliament as premier this month. But Komeito’s decision to end the alliance that has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for 25 years has plunged Japan into a new political crisis. The yen dropped...

Events

1 week ago How Sanae Takaichi’s rise could reshape Japan and Asia’s future

Sanae Takaichi’s victory in Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race marks not just the rise of the country’s first female prime minister in waiting, but also a symbolic shift in Japan’s ideological compass. Long known as a staunch conservative and nationalist, Takaichi’s ascent signals the possible end of the centrist pragmatism that characterised the Shinzo Abe and Fumio Kishida years. Her win sets Japan on a trajectory that could reshape its domestic economy, foreign policy and...

Politics

1 week ago Will Japan’s Sanae Takaichi prove to be a transformative force in Asia?

Sanae Takaichi’s victory in Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race marks not just the rise of the country’s first female prime minister in waiting, but also a symbolic shift in Japan’s ideological compass. Long known as a staunch conservative and nationalist, Takaichi’s ascent signals the possible end of the centrist pragmatism that characterised the Shinzo Abe and Fumio Kishida years. Her win sets Japan on a trajectory that could reshape its domestic economy, foreign policy and...

Politics

2 w. ago Japan is getting a new leader, but her government could be over before it begins

Sanae Takaichi is poised to make history as Japan’s first female prime minister, but her government may be imperilled before it even begins amid a deepening rift within the ruling coalition. The Liberal Democratic Party Takaichi now leads and its long-time junior partner, Komeito, have been in coalition for 26 years. Without Komeito’s parliamentary support, the LDP would lose its majority in the Diet, forcing its leader to seek new political allies. Yet analysts warn that Takaichi’s hardline...

Politics

2 w. ago Sanae Takaichi is set to be Japan’s next leader. What will it mean for China?

Tensions between Beijing and Tokyo may escalate further with Sanae Takaichi poised to become Japan’s next leader, observers warn, citing her controversial positions on the Taiwan issue and Japanese wartime history. Takaichi, a former internal affairs minister known for her conservative views, was chosen to lead Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Saturday in a run-off vote against more moderate candidate Shinjiro Koizumi. The victory sets her up to be Japan’s fifth prime minister in...

Politics

2 w. ago BREAKING NEWS: China seeks Japan's commitments on history, Taiwan after LDP Takaichi's win

BREAKING NEWS: China seeks Japan's commitments on history, Taiwan after LDP Takaichi's win  Japan Wire by KYODO NEWS

Politics

2 w. ago BREAKING NEWS: China urges Japan to pursue rational policies as Takaichi becomes LDP head

BREAKING NEWS: China urges Japan to pursue rational policies as Takaichi becomes LDP head  Japan Wire by KYODO NEWS

Events

2 w. ago Japan’s LDP to pick new leader amid Trump summit talks and election woes

Japan’s long-governing party will choose a new leader to replace Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in a key party vote on Saturday, as it hopes to regain public support and stay in power after major election losses. The Liberal Democratic Party (LFP), whose consecutive losses in parliamentary elections in the past year have left it in the minority in both houses, wants to select a leader who can quickly address challenges in and outside Japan, while seeking cooperation from key opposition groups to...

Politics

2 w. ago Japan’s LDP elects Sanae Takaichi, poised to be first female PM

China hawk Sanae Takaichi won the leadership of Japan’s ruling party on Saturday, putting her on course to become the country’s first woman prime minister. The 64-year-old, whose hero is Margaret Thatcher, is charged with reviving the ailing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as a new anti-immigration grouping snaps at its heels. The arch-conservative will almost certainly be approved by parliament as Japan’s fifth prime minister in as many years, a step that local media say could come the week of...

Politics

2 w. ago ‘New era’: Japan’s LDP elects Sanae Takaichi, poised to be first female PM

Conservative Sanae Takaichi hailed a “new era” on Saturday after winning the leadership of Japan’s ruling party, putting her on course to become the country’s first woman prime minister. The 64-year-old, whose hero is Margaret Thatcher, said that a “mountain of work” lay ahead to restore the fortunes of her ailing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The LDP has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for decades, but it has been haemorrhaging support as backing grows for smaller parties, including the...

Politics

2 w. ago Controversy overshadows policy in race to be Japan’s next PM

The race to see who will head Japan’s ruling party – which will also determine the country’s next prime minister – has veered off course, with one contender mired in a scandal over orchestrated online praise and another facing accusations of xenophobia over remarks about foreigners kicking sacred deer. The internal election for leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), scheduled for Saturday, has quickly crystallised into a two-way battle between Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, a...

Events

3 w. ago Japan’s next leader? LDP showdown pits Abe protégé against reformist scion

As Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party begins the process of selecting a new leader – and by extension, the country’s next prime minister – the race is quickly shaping into a duel between a conservative heir to Shinzo Abe’s legacy and a reformist standard-bearer promising broader appeal within the divided party. The party’s internal election on October 4 follows Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s resignation after barely a year in office, with the winner expected to assume leadership through a...

Politics