Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan's first female prime minister

Japan's parliament is set to elect ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female Prime Minister on Tuesday (October 21, 2025), one day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner that would pull her governing bloc further to the right.

Ms. Takaichi will replace Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and wrangling since the Liberal Democratic Party's disastrous election loss in July.

Mr. Ishiba, who lasted only one year in office, resigned with his Cabinet earlier on Tuesday (October 21, 2025), paving the way for his successor.