TOKYO: Japan’s Parliament on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, elected Sanae Takaichi as the country’s new Prime Minister, making her the first woman to ever hold the office in Japan’s history. This is according to a report by the AFP news agency.
Ms. Sanae Takaichi, 64, a former Japanese Minister of Economic Security, was elected as the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in an internal party vote on October 4, where she defeated her rival, Shinjiro Koizumi.
During the parliamentary vote, Ms. Takaichi secured a strong majority of 237 votes—well over the necessary majority—out of the total 465 seats in the Diet (Parliament). She is expected to be confirmed by the Upper House (House of Councillors) and will be formally sworn in on Tuesday evening as Japan’s 104th Prime Minister, succeeding Mr. Shigeru Ishiba, who recently announced his resignation.
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