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46m ago

Sanae Takaichi Wins LDP Runoff, Poised to Be Japan's First Female Prime Minister

She now must secure backing from other parties to govern in a minority parliament.

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Japan's former internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi delivers a speech at the kick-off of the campaign for the LDP presidential election in Tokyo, Japan, September 22, 2025. Franck Robichon/Pool via REUTERS
Japan's Prime Minister contender Sanae Takaichi speaks at the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election in Tokyo, Japan, October 4, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/Pool
Newly-elected leader of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Sanae Takaichi shakes hands with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba after winning the LDP leadership election in Tokyo, Japan, October 4, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/Pool

Overview

  • Takaichi defeated Shinjiro Koizumi 185–156 in a second-round vote after leading the first ballot 183–164, with Yoshimasa Hayashi finishing third.
  • A parliamentary vote to choose the next prime minister is expected in mid-October, with Takaichi favored but not assured because the LDP-led bloc lacks majorities in both houses.
  • The runoff reduced grassroots influence to 47 prefectural votes alongside 295 lawmakers; Takaichi carried both groups in the second round, winning lawmakers 149–145 and members 36–11, according to NBC News.
  • A conservative nationalist aligned with Shinzo Abe, Takaichi backs aggressive fiscal stimulus and has signaled she could revisit elements of a roughly $550 billion U.S.–Japan investment understanding, positions that could unsettle markets and regional ties with China and South Korea.
  • Immediate tests include easing cost-of-living pressures, repairing damage from the LDP funds scandal, and a likely late-October meeting with President Trump that could bring pressure on defense spending and trade terms.