Particle.news
Download on the App Store
98 ARTICLES
·
8h ago

Sanae Takaichi Elected Japan’s First Female Prime Minister as LDP–JIP Pact Yields Minority Rule

Leading a narrow LDP–JIP bloc short of a majority, she faces urgent tests from cabinet formation to economic measures before Trump’s visit.

Image
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 4: Newly-elected Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Sanae Takaichi celebrates after winning the LDP leadership election on October 4, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) held a leadership election on October 4, 2025, to replace Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who resigned after the party lost its parliamentary majority in both houses of the Diet for the first time since 1955. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon - Pool/Getty Images)
Image
Newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrives at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Overview

  • Parliament elected Takaichi with 237 lower house votes, and the upper house also endorsed her, clearing the way for her to take office after an audience with the emperor today.
  • The LDP’s coalition with the Japan Innovation Party secures 231 of 465 seats in the lower house and 120 of 248 in the upper house, leaving a minority government that must seek ad hoc support.
  • JIP will not initially take cabinet posts as negotiations advance on its priorities, including Osaka’s designation as a secondary capital, cutting the number of lawmakers, zero sales tax on food, and a ban on corporate donations.
  • Takaichi, a security hawk and social conservative aligned with Shinzo Abe, is expected to emphasize short‑term economic relief, with stocks buoyed on expectations of pro‑growth policy.
  • Immediate milestones include a policy speech this week, work on a supplementary budget by late December, and talks with U.S. President Donald Trump during his visit next week.