Japan’s ruling party elects Sanae Takaichi as new leader, likely to become first female PM

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TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s governing party on Saturday elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, a hardline ultra-conservative and China hawk, as its new leader, making her likely to become the country’s first female prime minister.

In a country that ranks poorly internationally for gender equality, Takaichi makes history as the first female leader of Japan's long-governing conservative Liberal Democratic Party. She is one of the most conservative members of the male-dominated party.

An admirer of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi is a protege of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe 's ultra-conservative vision and a regular at the Yasukuni Shrine, seen as a symbol of Japan's wartime militarism, which could complicate Tokyo's relations with its Asian neighbors.

Takaichi beat Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of popular former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, in a runoff in an intraparty vote by the LDP on Saturday.

Takaichi replaces Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba as the party hopes to regain public support and stay in power after major election losses.

She is likely to be Japan’s next prime minister because the party remains by far the largest in the lower house, which determines the national leader, and because opposition groups are highly splintered.

As the runoff results were announced, Takaichi stood up and bowed to fellow party members.

“I made history for the LDP,” said Takaichi, thanking those who supported and voted for her. “Right now, instead of savoring joy, I'm overwhelmed by what's ahead, a mountain of challenges that I have to tackle with help from all of you.”

“We must make our party one that is more energetic and cheerful so that we can change the people's worries into hope,” Takaichi added, calling for cooperation from LDP lawmakers. “Otherwise, we can't rebuild our party.”

The LDP, whose consecutive losses in parliamentary elections in the past year have left it in the minority in both houses, needs its new leader to quickly bring back voter confidence and stability and to address challenges in and outside Japan. Takaichi will also need cooperation from key opposition groups to implement her party's policies.

Five candidates — two currently serving and three former ministers — vied for the LDP presidency.

Saturday’s vote only involved 295 LDP parliamentarians and about 1 million dues-paying members. It only reflected 1% of the Japanese public.

A parliamentary vote is expected in mid-October. The LDP, which has been criticized by opposition leaders for creating a prolonged political vacuum, needs to hurry because the winner will soon face a diplomatic test: a possible summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, who could demand that Japan increase its defense spending.

A meeting is reportedly being planned for late October. Trump will travel to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea starting Oct. 31.

The LDP’s choice of Takaichi, instead of the more centrist-to-liberal Koizumi, apparently underscores the party’s hope to win back conservative voters who supported emerging far-right groups such as Sanseito in the July parliamentary election.

But the LDP also needs help from the opposition, which it has long neglected. The party will likely look to expand its current coalition with the moderate centrist Komeito with at least one of the key opposition parties, which are more centrist.

Takaichi like other candidates called herself a “moderate conservative” during the run-up to the election to show their willingness to work with the opposition and stayed away from stressing her opposition to liberal social issues or anti-China policies.

She supports bigger fiscal spending for growth, a stronger military and cybersecurity, as well as tougher regulations on increasing foreign tourists and laborers. She was criticized for citing unconfirmed reports to slam foreigners for kicking deer in Nara, her hometown, and saying many foreign law offenders escaped indictments due to a shortage of translators.

Experts say candidates avoided discussing their usual political views on historical issues, same-sex marriage and other contentious topics, including the party’s political funds scandal, which was the biggest reason for their election losses, and anti-corruption measures. Their avoidance of these subjects raised doubts over the party's ability to regain public trust, analysts said.

Earlier polls had Koizumi, Takaichi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, a moderate veteran politician, as front-runners. Two others, Trade Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Economic Minister Takayuki Kobayashi, were seen as less likely contenders. Koizumi would have been the youngest prime minister in more than a century if he had won.