In a pivotal leadership vote, Sanae Takaichi is on the verge of making history as Japan’s first female prime minister. Her potential ascension is being hailed as a significant step for gender visibility on the global stage. However, a closer examination reveals that Takaichi’s political ideology is deeply rooted in ultraconservatism, shaped by her mentor, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. This raises concerns that her leadership may not represent a genuine shift towards progress, but rather a reinforcement of the entrenched conservative and patriarchal frameworks within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Japan continues to lag behind in gender equality, ranking a troubling 118th out of 148 countries in the 2025 Global Gender Gap Index, the lowest among G-7 nations. The root of this disparity lies in the severe underrepresentation of women in politics. Recently, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s cabinet appointed only two women, a steep decline from five in the previous administration. Takaichi’s rise to prominence presents a rare exception, prompting critical questions about whether her ascent will lead to meaningful gender reforms or if she is merely a figurehead for superficial progress.
This situation bears a resemblance to the “glass cliff” phenomenon, where women and marginalized groups are appointed to high-stakes leadership roles during crises, making them highly visible yet vulnerable to failure. For instance, Sussan Ley became the leader of Australia’s conservative Liberal Party amid its lowest popularity, a scenario seen by many as a setup for failure. Similarly, Takaichi’s rise comes in the wake of the LDP’s ongoing public distrust and electoral setbacks. The party is now grappling with a fractured legislature, and her promotion as a hard-line female candidate serves to project an image of change while maintaining ideological consistency.
The historical context is also significant. South Korea’s first female president, Park Geun-hye, faced challenges that failed to translate into progressive policies, ultimately reinforcing the fragility of female leadership in patriarchal political systems. Takaichi’s unwavering commitment to the LDP’s traditional values complicates her role as a potential pioneer for gender equality, as her success appears to stem from conservative assimilation rather than a genuine push for reform.
The contradiction at the heart of Takaichi’s rise is stark: she champions a platform that opposes legal changes that would substantively improve women’s rights. As a defender of Japan’s male-only royal succession law and a vocal opponent of legal reforms to allow married couples to retain separate surnames, her positions reflect the LDP’s expectation that women in power must uphold the very structures that limit their equality.
Takaichi’s resistance to the optional dual-surname law, known as *fūfubessei*, is framed as a defense of traditional family values, yet it perpetuates the systemic inequality that forces over 95 percent of married women to relinquish their professional identities upon marriage. Ironically, she herself uses her maiden name professionally, highlighting the contradictions in her stance.
This ideological rigidity places her administration in direct conflict with international human rights standards. The United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) has repeatedly condemned Japan’s mandatory single-surname law and the male-only Imperial House Law as discriminatory, urging reforms to align with global gender norms. Takaichi’s political platform ensures ongoing tensions with CEDAW, suggesting her policies will face scrutiny that could undermine her administration’s credibility.
Takaichi’s commitment to ultraconservatism is not merely ideological; it is foundational to her political identity within the LDP. Her career has been largely supported by the LDP’s ultraconservative factions and organizations like Nippon Kaigi, which advocate for traditional family values and historical revisionism. Her policy positions, including advocating for military spending increases, align with a nationalist agenda that prioritizes a strong, assertive image of Japan on the global stage.
While Takaichi has adopted language promoting gender empowerment, such as proposing tax cuts and aiming for a “Nordic” gender balance in her cabinet, these efforts appear more strategic than substantive. Even the aspiration for a Nordic-style cabinet, with a significant number of women, remains elusive.
Furthermore, her hardline nationalist agenda and assertive foreign policy are likely to create diplomatic friction. Her comments regarding the disputed Dokdo/Takeshima islands and her alignment with a military-focused security posture signal a departure from Japan’s postwar pacifism, raising concerns about regional stability and relations with neighboring countries.
In summary, Takaichi’s potential premiership is less about forging a path toward genuine gender equality and more indicative of the LDP’s political resilience and its entrenched conservative identity. Her rise illustrates that within the LDP’s rigid hierarchy, a woman can attain power only by embodying and advocating for the party’s patriarchal and nationalist principles. If she succeeds, it will signify a victory for ideological conformity rather than a breakthrough for gender-based reform in Japan.
