7 Things to Know About Japan’s New Hard-Right, Thatcher-Loving Prime Minister
Japan’s ‘Iron Lady’ has already earned the praise of Donald Trump, with whom she shares similar policy positions, and was pictured endorsing a book about Hitler's election strategy.
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Japan has officially made history by electing its first-ever female prime minister: Sanae Takaichi, a longtime Liberal Democratic Party politician and protege of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Donald Trump lauded the new prime minister as “a highly respected person of great wisdom and strength,” but failed to even include Takaichi’s name in his Truth Social post. It’s a welcome that most women in leadership are all too familiar with.
But Takaichi has not just earned praise for being the first woman to lead Japan. Earlier in her life, she was a drummer in a metal band and was an avid motorcycle rider. And while her punk-rock persona has taken the internet by storm, Takaichi’s policy stances and those she looks up to are perhaps a different kind of hardcore.
So here are seven things you need to know about Japan’s newest prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.
1. She models herself after Margaret Thatcher
Takaichi’s biggest role model is none other than former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Yes, you read that right.
Takaichi’s obsession with the UK’s most hated politician has become central to her political identity, and she’s even been dubbed ‘Japan’s Iron Lady.’
She has praised Thatcher’s uncompromising leadership style and her “womanly warmth” – two words we certainly never thought would be associated with the woman who earned the nickname of ‘Iron Lady’ for a reason.