Sanae Takaichi delivers a campaign speech in Tokyo on September 24. She won a leadership vote Saturday to become prime minister. Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Sanae Takaichi, a hardline conservative, is set to become Japan's first female prime minister after being elected by her Liberal Democratic Party on Saturday.
The 64-year-old former economic security minister defeated four other candidates to lead the LDP after two rounds of voting. She has served as party president this year.
If elected by both houses of the parliament later this month, she will replace Shigeru Ishiba, who announced last month he would resign after being in office for less than one year. Ishiba is a member of the LDP.
In the past two elections, the party became the minority among representatives and councillors in parliament, which is known as the Diet.
