Conservative Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister Tuesday, breaking the country’s political glass ceiling and signaling a sharp shift to the right.
An acolyte of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and an admirer of Britain's Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi received 237 votes in the lower house election to choose the next premier, topping the majority of the 465-seat chamber.
Her victory marks a pivotal moment for a country where men still hold overwhelming sway. But it is also likely to usher in a sharper move to the right on things like immigration and social issues.
Takaichi's victory was secured after her Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed Japan for most of its postwar history, agreed to a coalition deal with the right-wing Japan Innovation Party, known as Ishin, on Monday.
After years of deflation, Japan is now grappling with rising prices, something that has sparked public anger and fueled support for opposition groups including far-right upstarts.
