Japan finally has its first woman prime minister since Sanae Takaichi assumed the position this week. Today only 16 out of every 100 seats in Japan’s parliament are held by women. But many are questioning whether this truly is progress for women in Japan.
Takaichi emerged victorious in her party’s leadership election and took over as prime minister, but it wasn’t easy. Her partner’s party resigned immediately after she emerged victorious, on the verge of toppling her. She had to negotiate with another right-wing faction just so she would have enough members on her side to approve bills within parliament. Now she’s operating a minority government without complete authority, so her seat is tenuous from the beginning.
Traditional Family Beliefs Don’t Sit Well With Everyone
That’s where things get complicated. Takaichi has some fairly traditional ideas about women and families. She believes that married couples should have the same surname, that is, in Japan nearly always that the wife should abandon her surname and adopt her husband’s. She has also stated she would not grant women the right to become emperors. Many view these stances as going against women’s equality, rather than assisting it.
She admires Margaret Thatcher, the ex-prime minister of Britain, but unlike Thatcher, she will not label herself a feminist. When she took over as party leader she promised to forget work-life balance and simply “work, work, work.” That sort of thing frightens mothers already struggling to cope with Japan’s brutal work environment. They’re asking how a prime minister who has such attitudes will improve working women’s lives.
Economic Struggles and Political Survival
Takaichi stepped in during a difficult time. Japan is struggling with inflation, wages that haven’t increased in years, and a depreciating yen that raises the cost of everything for ordinary families. Her solution is to pour lots of government money into it to get the economy growing again. That’s not really what conservative politicians typically do, but she believes it’s the solution.
The question is whether she will live survive to attempt any of this. Her new coalition does not control a majority of seats in parliament, so she must have other parties sign on before passing legislation. She allied herself with a regional conservative bloc that most voters in Japan don’t much care for. Political observers are betting she will not last very long as prime minister if she is not able to maintain her coalition and be effective.
News At Glance
- Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan’s first female premier in 2025
- Just 16% of Japanese parliament seats are now occupied by women
- She is against the idea of letting women become the emperors of Japan
- She does not call herself a feminist although she was the first woman PM
FAQs
- Who is Japan’s new female Prime Minister?
Sanae Takaichi won the leadership contest in her party and became Japan’s first female prime minister.
- What are her attitudes towards women’s rights?
She is in favour of traditional families, believes wives should adopt husbands’ surnames, and is against women emperors.
- How many women are represented in parliament in Japan?
Only 16% of seats are occupied by women, one of the lowest percentages in developed nations.
- What are the economic issues that Japan is confronting?
Increasing prices, wages not going up, and a sliding yen are making things more costly.
- Whether her government is in the majority or not?
No, she has a minority government following the collapse of her coalition partner.
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