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To numerous female youth in Japan today, the image of Sanae Takaichi assuming leadership as the nation's inaugural female leader is impactful and formative.

This signifies a male-oriented culture and a government structure that has long been dominated by men is currently headed by a woman.

However, although the appearances suggest a progressive moment, certain females don't see her as an champion of progress.

“It was quite fascinating to observe how individuals outside Japan have reacted to the announcement,” Ayda Ogura says.

People are saying, ‘wow, she's the inaugural woman prime minister in the nation's past and that would be a great opportunity for female advancement and gender equality in Japan’.

“I think that's a very naive view.”

Conversely, the young woman highlights her “ideological stance and what she represents,” noting: “She perpetuates the patriarchal system.”

A big fan of Britain's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi has always wanted to be the “Iron Lady” of her nation.

And like Thatcher, Takaichi is a firm right-wing politician.

Analysts note her ascension is a tactical move from the ruling LDP to appeal to the more conservative supporters which had lately shifted towards Japan's more extreme conservative groups.

The leader is against marriage equality and has long stood against laws that would permit spouses to have different last names, blocking many women from retaining their maiden names.

Additionally, she is against women being in eligible for the throne in the imperial family.

Nonetheless, she did soften certain her statements during her election bid – saying she supports giving tax incentives to companies that offer childcare facilities to their staff and mentioned possible tax breaks for households investing in childcare.

But she has over the years supported the notion of a conventional role for women in the community and in the home.

When it comes to gender matters, Takaichi is aligned with her country's less than impressive record on equality concerns.

Japan's Inequality in Context

Japanese women are among the best educated and most skilled in the globe and yet they face challenges with the demands of a traditional culture that still pushes them into traditional roles.

According to the 2025 equality ranking by the World Economic Forum, Japan placed 118th out of among 148 nations, with female representation in the field of politics notably low.

Leadership positions have traditionally been dominated by men and Japan has struggled to increase the quantity of female lawmakers and corporate executives.

The globally fourth biggest economy places at the bottom among the G7 countries when it comes to the percentage of females in its legislative body. In detail, females constitute about 15.7% of legislators in Japan, the lowest figure among the seven major economies.

Progress is also sluggish when it comes to women's reproductive health: recently was it announced that the “emergency” pill – a form of post-coital birth control available without prescription in more than 90 countries – had at last been authorized for non-prescription sales in Japan.

Mixed Responses to the Historic Leadership

Nonetheless, some see Takaichi's ascent as a critical juncture that could change how females perceive their prospects.

“There is great significance in the new prime minister becoming prime minister, with a wider influence on society,” a former mayor – who was elected as the country's youngest female city leader in 2012 – told local media.

She contended Japan electing a female prime minister will “lower psychological barriers” for women and girls, helping them feel it is normal to “excel” as authorities in businesses and society, even as gender-based stereotypes and norms still persist.

But Audrey Hill-Uekawa points out that, while it is remarkable Japan has its first female prime minister, one must remember it required her more than 30 years to get to that office.

“Additionally, she is not truly going against the norm. She expresses the same thing as the male politicians.”

Ms Hill-Uekawa further states that she ought not be placed on a pedestal simply because she is a woman.

“We need to make sure we're discussing her agenda. We must be able to evaluate her fairly as everyone else.”

Political Background and Influences

It is not just what Takaichi has stated which has led people to label her as a defender of the male-dominated system.

It's also apparent by which individuals her champions inside the party have were.

She's the protégé of the late ex- conservative prime minister Shinzo Abe, and was backed in the leadership election by a senior politician – a senior figure in the LDP at the leadership of one of the ruling party's most powerful conservative blocs.

Their group's support for Sanae Takaichi was crucial in uniting the party's right wing behind her.

“I do feel that it is challenging for women to sort of relate to her success because it furthers this notion that we have to be compliant with the existing system,” young adult Minori Konishi says.

Ms Ogura concurs, stating that with her as a symbol for females in politics, “the public are likely to anticipate the same from us as too”.

“They will demand women to be compliant, not go against the beliefs that they hold, and it might make our job more difficult.”

Upcoming Obstacles and Expectations

Achieving this milestone, though, was only the initial of the challenges Takaichi will face – not least tackling a slow growth and rising prices and winning back the trust of a frustrated and irate voting public, as in addition to hosting the US leader within days of assuming office.

One can reasonably assume that no-one expects women's rights matters to be high on her agenda.