PM Modi Congratulates Sanae Takaichi On Becoming Japan’s First Female Prime Minister

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended warm congratulations to Sanae Takaichi on her election as Japan’s new Prime Minister, expressing confidence in strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations.

Taking to X, PM Modi posted, “Heartiest congratulations, Sanae Takaichi, on your election as the Prime Minister of Japan. I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen the India–Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Our deepening ties are vital for peace, stability, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.”

Takaichi, elected as Japan’s next Prime Minister earlier in the day after a runoff vote in Parliament, becoming the first woman to hold the country’s top office.

The Upper House confirmed her victory by awarding her 125 votes, just one above the required majority, after she had already secured 237 votes in the Lower House, exceeding the threshold of 233.

A former television presenter, Takaichi began her political journey in 1993 when she won a Lower House seat as an independent.

The 64-year-old lawmaker represents her home prefecture of Nara.

She joined the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in 1996 and first entered the Cabinet under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, serving as Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs.

Later, she became the first woman to chair the LDP’s Policy Research Council.

Key Roles in Government and Party Leadership

Between 2022 and 2024, Takaichi served as Japan’s Economic Security Minister and also holds the record as the longest-serving Minister for Internal Affairs, having served multiple terms.

A key figure in the LDP’s conservative faction, Takaichi was elected as party leader on Saturday after defeating Shinjiro Shinjiro in a runoff vote.

She won 185 votes to his 156 after no candidate achieved a majority in the initial round of voting.

As Prime Minister, she will complete the remaining three years of former leader Shigeru Ishiba’s term, which concludes in September 2027.

Former Justice Minister Midori Matsushima, one of Takaichi’s supporters, welcomed her appointment, saying, “The first female Prime Minister is here. I’m so happy that I could witness this. I hope this gives courage to many young women, and to the people like her, who were not born into a family of politicians, who were born and raised in a place that had nothing to do with politics.”

Takaichi assumes office at a challenging moment for Japan, amid slow economic growth, rising living costs, and a weakening yen.

With the ruling LDP facing pressure after consecutive election losses, her leadership will be tested as she works to unify a divided party, manage minority governance, and rebuild public confidence in the government’s ability to deliver stability.

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