Esther Salifu
Sanae Takaichi the only woman in the race to head the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has promised to bring sweeping change to the male-dominated world of Japanese politics, vowing to appoint women at “Nordic” levels if she becomes the country’s first female prime minister.
Standing before reporters in Tokyo on Monday, 64-year-old Sanae Takaichi laid out her vision for a more inclusive government. Filing her candidacy alongside four rivals, the conservative lawmaker sought to challenge perceptions by making gender parity a central theme of her campaign.
“Our cabinet and LDP executive committee will include women to the extent that they will be comparable to those of Nordic countries,” she declared. “I think people will be very surprised by the appointments I intend to make.”
Her remarks struck a stark contrast with Japan’s current political reality. Women occupy only two of 20 seats in Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s outgoing cabinet. Just 15 percent of lower house lawmakers are female, placing Japan 118th out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Gender Gap Report. By comparison, Nordic countries like Iceland, Finland, and Norway consistently top the rankings.
Takaichi’s pledge resonated with those frustrated by decades of slow progress. “It’s symbolic that she’s making gender balance a headline issue,” said Junichi Takase, professor emeritus at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies. “The LDP has to show it can change if it wants to survive.”
But Takaichi also waded into another sensitive issue immigration. While acknowledging Japan’s need for foreign workers in an ageing society, she warned that rapid inflows could strain communities.
“Tourists are welcome, and Japan’s demographics mean we cannot do without foreign labor,”
“But immigration in a hurry would create a hostile atmosphere. I want to review the policy so that we can live peacefully together with foreigners.” She said
Her comments come at a time when immigration debates are intensifying. In July, the staunchly anti-immigration Sanseito party increased its seats in the upper house from two to 15, signaling voter unease.
Rival candidate Shinjiro Koizumi echoed some of that sentiment on Monday, citing “illegal employment” and “friction with local residents” as sources of anxiety though he stressed his priority was tackling soaring living costs.
Koizumi, the 44-year-old son of a former prime minister and seen as a strong contender, insisted: “The LDP has failed to listen to people’s voices. My top priority is to address the urgent concerns of households struggling with high prices.”
Two other veteran politicians Toshimitsu Motegi, 69, and Yoshimasa Hayashi, 64 are also in the race, alongside younger contender Takayuki Kobayashi, 50. Motegi pledged to lower the average age of his cabinet by a decade and appoint 30 percent women.
Whoever prevails on October 4 will not only lead the LDP but likely become Japan’s fifth prime minister in as many years. For Takaichi, that prize carries added significance: the chance to shatter one of Japan’s highest political glass ceilings.
“Japan has been governed by men for too long,” she said. “I want to show the world a different kind of leadership.”
