Japan’s New PM Takaichi Accelerates Defense as She Resists LGBTQ Reforms

A new pact with Ishin frees her to speed up rearmament under mounting court pressure on equality laws.

Overview

Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, now leads a minority LDP–Ishin government after ending the LDP’s 26-year alliance with Komeito.
She advanced a faster military buildup by moving the defense-spending goal to 2% of GDP by the end of this fiscal year, signaling the most assertive posture since World War II.
In Parliament she hinted Japan could provide military support to Taiwan in a worst-case scenario, declined to retract the remark, and later clarified that formal policy remains unchanged.
Early diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump yielded reassurances and a bilateral trade understanding, and a Jiji poll reported over 75% approval of her recent summit outreach.
She continues to oppose marriage equality and broader SOGI laws despite a series of court rulings pressing for change, and her 19-member Cabinet includes only two women in senior posts.