Sanae Takaichi, 64, set to be Japan's 1st female PM

Japanese politician Sanae Takaichi is set to become Japan's first-ever female prime minister.

The 64-year-old was elected as the leader of the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), replacing outgoing PM Shigeru Ishiba, Japan Times reported.

A former news anchor, Takaichi came out tops in two separate rounds of voting within the party to become its first female president.

In the second runoff round, the former economic security minister beat out her opponent, agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi, to take the top spot.

It is her third bid for the role.

She failed in 2021 and 2024.

Protégé of Shinzo Abe

The conservative is a known heavy metal fan who's also the protégé of late PM Shinzo Abe.

During her campaign, she spoke about foreigners kicking deer in Nara Park, in remarks that were later accused of being xenophobic.

She had denied this, saying her remarks were "not about xenophobia or exclusion", according to the Asahi Shinbun.

"The foundation for coexisting with foreign nationals is that both sides respect rules," she said. "I wanted to show that I am taking the public’s concerns [about foreigners' behaviour] seriously."

In her victory speech on Oct. 4, she said that everyone in the party would be required to "work like a horse".

"I will abandon the notion of work-life balance. Work, work, work, work, work — that is what I will do. I sincerely ask each and every one of you to work tirelessly in your respective fields for the sake of Japan and to rebuild the LDP."

Protégé of Shinzo Abe

Takaichi stepped up as one of the five prospective candidates after Ishiba announced his resignation in September.

He said he had done so to avoid a split within the party, after disappointing general election results and losing upper house elections.

Takaichi will next be facing a vote in the Diet, the national legislature of Japan.

The lower and upper houses will decide whether or not she becomes PM.

It is expected to take place in the coming days.

Likely a win

While Takaichi is not in the PM role yet, it's likely that her premiership will be approved.

The LDP-led coalition no longer holds the parliamentary majority required to guarantee this.

But to prevent it, opposition parties would have to rally behind their own candidate — a situation that seems unclear, according to NHK.

Before the runoff vote, Takaichi had acknowledged that "harsh voices from across the country" had cast doubt on what the LDP stands for.

“That sense of urgency drove me. I wanted to turn people’s anxieties about their daily lives and the future into hope," she said, according to The Guardian.

Top image from Reuters