BBC Photo: Sanae Takaichi

Source: BBC

DST News: Sanae Takaichi has made history by winning the vote to become Japan’s first female prime minister.

The 64-year-old conservative leader, often dubbed Japan’s “Iron Lady,” is an admirer of former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

This is her third bid for the top post, and she becomes the fourth prime minister in five years from the scandal-hit Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), highlighting Japan’s ongoing political turbulence.

A key figure in the LDP’s hardline faction, Takaichi is a protégé of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has described her as “a highly respected person of great wisdom.”

As she assumes office, Takaichi faces major challenges — reviving the sluggish economy, managing a complex U.S.-Japan relationship, and uniting a divided ruling party.