🔗 Share this article

To numerous young girls in Japan currently, the image of Sanae Takaichi assuming leadership as the country's first ever female prime minister is impactful and influential.

This signifies a male-oriented culture and a political system that has long been dominated by men is currently headed by a woman.

But while the optics speak of a forward-thinking era, certain females don't see her as an advocate for change.

It was rather fascinating to see how individuals outside Japan have responded to the news,” Ayda Ogura says.

People are saying, ‘wow, she's the inaugural woman prime minister in Japanese history and that would be a great opportunity for female advancement and equal rights in Japan’.

“I think that's a very naive interpretation.”

Instead, the young woman highlights her “political beliefs and what she represents,” adding: “She reinforces the patriarchal system.”

A strong admirer of Margaret Thatcher, Sanae Takaichi has always wanted to be the “Steel Magnolia” of her country.

And like Thatcher, Takaichi is a staunch conservative.

Observers say her ascension is a strategic decision from the ruling LDP to appeal to the more conservative supporters which had lately shifted towards Japan's parties further to the right.

Takaichi opposes marriage equality and has consistently voted against laws that would allow married couples to have separate surnames, blocking many women from keeping their birth surnames.

She's also opposed to women being in line for succession in the royal household.

However, she moderated some of her statements during her election bid – stating she supports giving tax incentives to companies that provide daycare services to their staff and mentioned potential deductions for households spending on child-rearing.

Yet she has historically backed the notion of a conventional position for females in the community and in the home.

When it comes to gender matters, Takaichi is aligned with her country's subpar performance on equality concerns.

The Country's Inequality in Context

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 out of among nearly 150 countries, with female representation in the political arena notably low.

Top roles have historically been held by men and Japan has struggled to boost the number of female lawmakers and corporate executives.

The world's fourth largest economy ranks at the bottom among the Group of Seven nations when it comes to the share of women in its legislative body. Specifically, females make up about 15.7% of lawmakers in Japan, the lowest figure among the seven major economies.

It is even slow when it comes to women's reproductive health: only this week was it revealed that the “morning after” pill – a form of post-coital birth control available without prescription in over ninety countries – had finally been approved for over the counter use in Japan.

Mixed Responses to the Landmark Appointment

Nonetheless, certain individuals view Takaichi's ascent as a pivotal moment that could change how women view their opportunities.

“It is highly meaningful in Ms Takaichi assuming the role of prime minister, with a wider influence on the public,” a former mayor – who was elected as the nation's youngest female mayor in 2012 – informed local media.

Koshi argued Japan electing a female prime minister will “reduce mental obstacles” for women and girls, enabling them to believe it is normal to “stand out” as leaders in businesses and society, even as gender-based stereotypes and expectations still persist.

But a 20-year-old points out that, while it is remarkable Japan has its first female leader, it is important to recall it required her over three decades to get to that position.

“Additionally, she is not really challenging the norm. She's saying the same thing as the male politicians.”

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

“We need to ensure we're talking about her policies. We must be able to evaluate her equally as everyone else.”

Ideological Background and Influences

It is not only what Takaichi has said which has caused individuals to describe her as a supporter of the male-dominated system.

Additionally, it is apparent by who her champions within the LDP have were.

She was mentored of the late former hawkish prime minister a previous leader, and was endorsed in the leadership election by Taro Aso – a senior figure in the LDP at the leadership of one of the ruling party's most influential right-wing factions.

Their group's backing for Sanae Takaichi was pivotal in consolidating the party's right wing in her favor.

“I believe that it is challenging for women to somewhat identify with her achievement because it promotes this idea that we must be obedient with the status quo,” 21-year-old Minori Konishi says.

Ms Ogura agrees, saying that with her as a figurehead for women in government, “the public are likely to anticipate the identical from us as well”.

“They will demand us to be conforming, not oppose the beliefs that they hold, and it could render our job more difficult.”

Upcoming Challenges and Anticipations

Making history, though, was only the initial of the challenges Takaichi will encounter – including addressing a slow growth and inflation and regaining the confidence of a frustrated and angry voting public, as in addition to welcoming president Trump within a short time of assuming office.

It's safe to say that no-one expects women's rights matters to be high on her agenda.