Kathmandu – Japan is on the verge of making political history as lawmakers prepare to elect the country’s first-ever female prime minister. Parliament is expected to vote later today, with ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Sanae Takaichi emerging as the frontrunner to take the top post.
Takaichi’s path to power was cleared overnight after a surprise agreement between the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), putting her just two votes short of the majority needed to secure the prime minister’s office.
In the 465-member lower house, a simple majority of 233 votes is required, while in the 248-seat upper house, 124 votes are needed. The first round of voting begins at 1:30 p.m. local time.
If no candidate secures a majority, a second round between the top two contenders will be held at 2:30 p.m., with the winner officially declared as Japan’s next leader.
Once elected, the new prime minister will quickly form a cabinet, attend a formal approval ceremony at the Imperial Palace, and hold the first cabinet meeting later in the day. A press conference by the new leader is scheduled for late tonight.
Born in 1961 in Nara Prefecture, Takaichi’s background is far from typical for a Japanese politician. Her father worked as an office assistant and her mother served as a police officer.
Before entering politics, she was known as a heavy metal drummer, famous for breaking drumsticks during her high-energy performances.
Her political awakening came in the 1980s, during the height of U.S.-Japan trade tensions. Takaichi entered parliament in 1996 as an LDP representative and has since won ten consecutive elections, losing only once. Over the years, she has become one of the party’s most outspoken conservative voices.
After two failed bids for party leadership, Takaichi finally clinched victory as LDP president, paving her way to the nation’s top job.
As the parliamentary vote nears, Japan, a nation that has never had a woman in its highest political office waits with anticipation.
If expectations hold, Sanae Takaichi will soon become Japan’s first female prime minister, marking a monumental moment in the country’s political history.
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