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

It means a patriarchal society and a political system that has historically been controlled by men is now led by a woman.

However, although the optics suggest a forward-thinking era, some women don't see her as an advocate for change.

“It was quite fascinating to observe how people beyond Japan's borders have responded to the announcement,” Ayda Ogura says.

“Everyone's like, ‘wow, she's the first female 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 rather simplistic view.”

Conversely, the young woman points to her “political beliefs and what she represents,” adding: “She perpetuates the patriarchal system.”

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

And like Thatcher, Takaichi is a firm conservative.

Observers say her leadership is a tactical move from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to attract the more conservative base which had recently gravitated towards Japan's parties further to the right.

Takaichi opposes marriage equality and has consistently voted against laws that would permit spouses to have separate surnames, preventing many women from keeping their maiden names.

Additionally, she is against females being in eligible for the throne in the royal household.

However, she moderated some of her messaging during her campaign – saying she favours giving financial benefits to companies that provide childcare facilities to their staff and spoke of possible tax breaks for families investing in child-rearing.

Yet she has over the years backed the idea of a conventional role for women in society and in the family.

Regarding gender matters, Takaichi is aligned with her country's subpar record on gender issues.

The Country's Inequality in Context

Japanese women are among the most highly educated and most skilled in the globe and yet they face challenges with the expectations of a traditional culture that still directs them into conventional positions.

According to the 2025 gender gap index by the World Economic Forum, Japan placed 118th among 148 nations, with women's presence in the field of politics particularly minimal.

Top roles have historically been held by men and Japan has struggled to increase the number of women legislators and business leaders.

The world's fourth largest economic power ranks at the bottom among the G7 countries when it comes to the share of women in its national parliament. In detail, females constitute about less than 16% of legislators in Japan, the smallest proportion among the G7.

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

Differing Responses to the Historic Leadership

Nonetheless, some see Takaichi's ascent as a pivotal moment that could alter how females view their prospects.

“There is great significance in the new prime minister assuming the role of prime minister, with a broader impact on the public,” Naomi Koshi – who was elected as the country's youngest female mayor in 2012 – informed Japan's Kyodo news agency.

Koshi argued Japan electing a female prime minister will “reduce mental obstacles” for women and girls, enabling them to believe it is normal to “stand out” as authorities in businesses and society, even as biased expectations and expectations still persist.

However Audrey Hill-Uekawa notes that, while it is notable Japan has its first female prime minister, one must remember it took her over three decades to get to that position.

“Additionally, she is not really going against the norm. She expresses the identical views as the men.”

Ms Hill-Uekawa further states that she ought not be placed on a platform just due to the fact she is a female.

“We need to make sure we're talking about her policies. We need to be able to evaluate her equally as all other leaders.”

Political Background and Associations

It is not only what Takaichi has stated which has caused individuals to describe her as a supporter of the patriarchy.

Additionally, it is evident by who her supporters within the LDP have been.

She's the protégé of the late former conservative prime minister a previous leader, and was backed in the party vote by a senior politician – a senior figure in the LDP at the head of one of the government's most powerful right-wing factions.

Their group's backing for Sanae Takaichi was pivotal in uniting the conservative wing in her favor.

“I do feel that it is difficult for females to somewhat relate to her success because it furthers this idea that we must be obedient with the existing system,” young adult Minori Konishi says.

Ms Ogura concurs, saying that with her as a symbol for women in politics, “the public are going to expect the identical from us as too”.

“They will demand us to be compliant, not oppose the ideals that they have, and it might make our job more difficult.”

Upcoming Challenges and Anticipations

Achieving this milestone, however, was just the first of the difficulties Takaichi will encounter – not least tackling a slow growth and inflation and winning back the trust of a frustrated and irate electorate, as well as hosting president Trump within days of taking power.

One can reasonably assume that no-one expects women's rights matters to be a top priority on her priority list.