🔗 Share this article

To numerous female youth in Japan currently, the sight of Sanae Takaichi taking the helm as the country's inaugural woman prime minister is powerful and formative.

This signifies a patriarchal society and a government structure that has long been dominated by men is now led by a woman.

However, although the appearances speak of a forward-thinking era, certain females do not view her as an champion of progress.

It was rather fascinating to observe how people outside Japan have responded to the announcement,” Ayda Ogura says.

“Everyone's like, ‘wow, she's the inaugural woman prime minister in the nation's past and that would be a significant chance for women empowerment and equal rights in Japan’.

“I think that's a very naive view.”

Instead, Ms Ogura points to her “political beliefs and what she stands for,” noting: “She reinforces the patriarchal system.”

A strong admirer of Britain's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi has always wanted to be the “Iron Lady” of her country.

Similar to Thatcher, Takaichi is a firm right-wing politician.

Observers say her leadership is a tactical move from the governing LDP to appeal to the increasingly right-leaning base which had lately shifted towards Japan's more extreme conservative groups.

The leader is against same-sex marriage and has consistently voted against laws that would allow spouses to have different last names, preventing many females from keeping their birth surnames.

She's also opposed to women being in line for succession in the imperial family.

However, she did soften some of her statements during her election bid – saying she supports giving financial benefits to businesses that offer childcare facilities to their staff and mentioned potential deductions for households spending on child-rearing.

Yet she has historically backed the notion of a more traditional position for females in the community and in the family.

Regarding women's issues, Takaichi is aligned with her nation's subpar performance on gender issues.

Japan's Gender Gap in Perspective

Japanese women are some of the most highly educated and most skilled in the globe and yet they face challenges with the demands of a conservative society that still pushes them into traditional roles.

According to the latest equality ranking by the global organization, Japan placed 118th among 148 nations, with female representation in the political arena notably low.

Leadership positions have traditionally been dominated by men and Japan has faced difficulties to boost the number of women legislators and corporate executives.

The globally fourth biggest economic power places last among the Group of Seven nations when it comes to the share of females in its national parliament. Specifically, females constitute about less than 16% of legislators in Japan, the lowest figure among the seven major economies.

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

Mixed Reactions to the Historic Appointment

Nonetheless, some see Takaichi's rise to power as a critical juncture that could change how women perceive their prospects.

“It is highly meaningful in the new prime minister becoming prime minister, with a broader impact on society,” a former mayor – who became the country's youngest female city leader in 2012 – informed local media.

She contended Japan electing a woman prime minister will “lower psychological barriers” for women and girls, enabling them to believe it is normal to “excel” as leaders in companies and society, despite biased expectations and expectations still persist.

But Audrey Hill-Uekawa points out that, while it is remarkable Japan has its inaugural woman leader, it is important to recall it required her over three decades to reach that office.

“Additionally, she is not truly challenging the grain. She expresses the same thing as the male politicians.”

The young woman further states that she ought not be placed on a pedestal just due to the fact she is a woman.

“We need to make sure we're talking about her agenda. We need to be able to evaluate her fairly as everyone else.”

Ideological Context and Associations

It is not just what Takaichi has said which has caused individuals to describe her as a defender of the patriarchy.

It's also apparent by who her champions inside the party have were.

She was mentored of the deceased former hawkish prime minister a previous leader, and was backed in the party vote by Taro Aso – a senior figure in the ruling party at the head of one of the ruling party's most powerful conservative blocs.

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

“I do feel that it is challenging for females to somewhat relate to her success because it promotes this notion that we must be compliant with the status quo,” 21-year-old a citizen says.

The 21-year-old concurs, saying that with her as a figurehead for women in government, “people are going to expect the identical from women as well”.

“They're going to expect us to be conforming, not oppose the ideals that they have, and it could render our role more difficult.”

Upcoming Challenges and Expectations

Achieving this milestone, though, was only the initial of the challenges Takaichi will face – including addressing a sluggish economy and inflation and regaining the trust of a discontented and irate voting public, as in addition to hosting president Trump within a short time of taking power.

One can reasonably assume that no-one expects gender equality issues to be high on her agenda.