Who Is Sanae Takaichi? Japan’s First Woman PM Secures Landslide Win In Winter Snap Polls

Last Updated:February 09, 2026, 07:32 IST

US President Donald Trump congratulated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after her ruling coalition secured a decisive election victory.

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi led her ruling coalition to a landslide win in a snap winter election on Sunday. Early vote tallies reported by NHK showed Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party winning 316 seats by Monday, well above the 261 needed for a majority in the 465-member lower house. 

The result is the party’s best performance since its formation in 1955, beating the previous 300-seat record set in 1986. With 36 more seats secured by ally Japan Innovation Party, the ruling coalition’s total reached 352 seats, paving the way for promised tax cuts that have spooked financial markets and military spending aimed at countering China.

Takaichi is Japan’s first woman prime minister and the first woman to head the LDP.

Trump congratulates

US President Donald Trump congratulated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after her ruling coalition secured a decisive election victory. In a social media post, Trump wished her “great success in passing your Conservative, Peace Through Strength Agenda." 

He said it was “my honor to endorse you," noting that he had publicly backed Takaichi on Friday. Calling her “a highly respected and very popular leader," Trump added that her “bold and wise decision to call for an election paid off big time." His message highlighted support for Takaichi’s leadership following her party’s strong mandate in the snap polls.

Drummer to Japan PM 

Takaichi, 64, was born in Nara prefecture in 1961. Her father was an office worker and her mother a police officer. She graduated from Kobe University. Her upbringing was more modest compared to many senior LDP leaders educated at elite institutions.

Before politics, she briefly worked as a television host. In her youth, she played drums in a heavy metal band and was known for breaking drum sticks during performances. She remains a fan of bands such as Iron Maiden and Deep Purple and keeps an electric drum kit at home. She was also a scuba diver and a car enthusiast. Her Toyota Supra is displayed in a museum in Nara.

Entry into politics

Inspired during the 1980s by US-Japan trade tensions, Takaichi worked in the office of US Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder to understand American views of Japan. She concluded that Japan needed to better defend itself internationally.

She first ran for parliament in 1992 as an independent and lost. She won a seat the following year and joined the LDP in 1996. Since then, she has been elected to parliament 10 times, losing only once.

She has held several senior roles, including minister for economic security, state minister for trade and industry, and a long tenure as minister for internal affairs and communications.

A protégé of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi supports policies similar to “Abenomics" – fiscal expansion, monetary easing and structural reform. She is often called Japan’s “Iron Lady", a reference to her admiration for Margaret Thatcher.

She opposes same-sex marriage, takes a tougher stance on immigration, and believes imperial succession should favour men. She is also seen as a “China hawk", supports a stronger military posture, and backs the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. She has visited Taipei and has made past visits to Yasukuni Shrine, which remains controversial.

Takaichi entered the LDP leadership race in 2021 but lost to Fumio Kishida. She tried again in 2024, topping the first round before losing to Shigeru Ishiba. On her third attempt last year, she won and was confirmed by parliament as Japan’s first woman prime minister.

Takaichi’s win signals continued conservative governance with a rightward shift.

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