Hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi was voted in by parliament as Japan's first female prime minister on Tuesday, after a whirlwind few weeks of political wrangling.
Having won an all-male race to be chosen by her ruling Liberal Democratic Party as its leader on 5 October, Takaichi had to scramble for support after her party's more moderate coalition partner quit their 26-year alliance.
Takaichi received 237 votes, topping the majority of the 465-seat chamber, according to a lower house staff.
She will likely be approved by the less-powerful upper house as well and sworn in as Japan's 104th prime minister this evening to succeed the incumbent Shigeru Ishiba, who last month announced his resignation to take responsibility for election losses.
An acolyte of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, was almost certain to become prime minister at a parliamentary vote on Tuesday after her Liberal Democratic Party on Monday agreed to a coalition deal with the right-wing Japan Innovation Party, known as Ishin.
Takaichi's victory makes her the first female premier in Japan, where the top echelons of politics and business are still overwhelmingly male dominated.
But her election is unlikely to be feted as a sign of progressive change. Instead, it will likely mark a harder tack to the right in a country increasingly worried about rising prices, lacklustre growth and immigration.
Takaichi has a number of socially conservative stances - such as being against changing the law that requires married couples to have the same surname.
She plans to appoint another former Abe acolyte, Satsuki Katayama, as finance minister, broadcaster FNN and other domestic media outlets said. Katayama is likely to be Japan's first female finance minister.
Katayama chairs the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's research commission on the finance and banking systems and has a strong background in economic and finance fields, having served as minister in charge of Local Economic Revitalisation under Abe.
Attention now turns to her big spending plans that may jolt investor confidence in one of the world's most indebted economies, and her nationalistic positions that could stoke friction with powerful neighbour China, political analysts say.
U.S. President Donald Trump will roll out the red carpet for Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, widely known as MBS, on ...
Emirates Airline is confident in Boeing’s plans for a larger 777X and has ruled out ordering Airbus’s A350-1000 at the Dubai Airshow....
The 27th plenary meeting of the Conference of the Special Service Agencies of the Turkic States on the theme 'The Role of Special Service Agencies in ...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 18th of November, covering the latest developments you need to...
Russian drones damaged a building housing the Dnipro newsroom of public broadcaster Suspilne and Ukrainian Radio Dnipro in a major overnight attack on...
Emirates Airline is confident in Boeing’s plans for a larger 777X and has ruled out ordering Airbus’s A350-1000 at the Dubai Airshow.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 18th of November, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Mainland China and Hong Kong equities slipped on Tuesday, Reuters reported, as investors grew cautious ahead of delayed U.S. economic data expected to clarify the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook.
The number of newly enrolled international students studying at U.S. colleges and universities dropped by 17% this autumn following new restrictions on student visas and other Trump administration policies, according to a report released on Monday.
Ukraine is facing a sharp escalation in fighting across several fronts, with Russian forces launching large-scale offensive operations while Kyiv intensifies long-range strikes deep inside Russian territory.
Russia announced on Sunday that its forces had made significant advances in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, capturing two settlements as part of what it described as a broader offensive aimed at securing full control of the strategic territory.
Russia announced on Sunday that its forces had made significant advances in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, capturing two settlements as part of a broader offensive aimed at seizing full control of the area.
China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has issued a formal advisory urging Chinese tourists to refrain from travelling to Japan in the near future, citing growing safety risks and recent political tensions.
Thousands of people across Mexico took to the streets on Saturday under the rallying cry of “Generation Z,” demanding an end to rising violence and expressing outrage over the killing of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo earlier this month.
U.S. President Donald Trump will roll out the red carpet for Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, widely known as MBS, on Tuesday for a visit expected to advance the sale of F-35 fighter jets and a host of business deals with the kingdom.
Emirates Airline is confident in Boeing’s plans for a larger 777X and has ruled out ordering Airbus’s A350-1000 at the Dubai Airshow.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 18th of November, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian drones damaged a building housing the Dnipro newsroom of public broadcaster Suspilne and Ukrainian Radio Dnipro in a major overnight attack on the city, Suspilne said early on Tuesday (18 November).
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday talked up "high-level exchanges" in a call with Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi, hinting at a potential meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japan's new premier, Sanae Takaichi.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment