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For many young girls in Japan today, the image of Sanae Takaichi assuming leadership as the country's first ever woman prime minister is impactful and formative.

It means a male-oriented culture and a government structure that has historically been controlled by men is now led by a woman.

But while the optics speak of a forward-thinking era, some women do not view her as an champion of progress.

“It was quite interesting to see how people beyond Japan's borders have reacted to the announcement,” Ayda Ogura says.

People are saying, ‘wow, she's the first female prime minister in the nation's past and that would be a significant chance for female advancement and gender equality in Japan’.

In my opinion that's a rather simplistic view.”

Instead, Ms Ogura points to her “political beliefs and what she stands for,” noting: “She perpetuates the male-dominated structure.”

A strong admirer of Margaret Thatcher, Sanae Takaichi has always wanted to be the “Steel Magnolia” of her country.

Similar to Thatcher, Takaichi is a firm right-wing politician.

Analysts note her leadership is a tactical move from the governing Liberal Democratic Party to appeal to the more conservative supporters which had recently gravitated towards Japan's parties further to the right.

The leader is against same-sex marriage and has long stood against laws that would permit married couples to have separate surnames, preventing many females from retaining their maiden names.

Additionally, she is opposed to females being in line for succession in the royal household.

Nonetheless, she moderated certain her messaging during her campaign – saying she supports giving financial benefits to businesses that provide daycare services to their employees and spoke of potential deductions for families spending on child-rearing.

Yet she has over the years backed the idea of a conventional position for females in society and in the family.

Regarding gender matters, Takaichi is aligned with her nation's subpar record on equality concerns.

The Country's Inequality in Perspective

Women in Japan are some of the most highly educated and most skilled in the globe and yet they struggle with the demands of a traditional culture that still pushes them into traditional roles.

According to the 2025 gender gap index by the World Economic Forum, Japan placed 118th among 148 countries, with female representation in the political arena notably low.

Top roles have traditionally been dominated by men and Japan has struggled to boost the quantity of women legislators and corporate executives.

The world's fourth largest economy places last among the Group of Seven nations when it comes to the percentage of women in its national parliament. Specifically, females constitute about less than 16% of legislators in Japan, the smallest proportion among the seven major economies.

Progress is also sluggish when it comes to women's reproductive health: recently was it announced that the “morning after” pill – a form of emergency contraception available without prescription in more than 90 nations – had finally been approved for non-prescription sales in Japan.

Differing Reactions to the Historic Leadership

Nonetheless, certain individuals view Takaichi's rise to power as a critical juncture that could alter how women view their prospects.

“There is great significance in the new prime minister assuming the role of prime minister, with a broader impact on society,” a former mayor – who was elected as the nation's youngest female city leader in 2012 – informed local media.

She contended Japan electing a female prime minister will “reduce mental obstacles” for females of all ages, helping them feel it is acceptable to “excel” as leaders in businesses and society, despite gender-based stereotypes and expectations still persist.

However a 20-year-old notes that, while it is notable Japan has its first female prime minister, one must remember it required her more than 30 years to reach that position.

“Additionally, she is not really challenging the grain. She expresses the same thing as the men.”

The young woman adds that she ought not be placed on a pedestal just due to the fact she is a woman.

“It is essential to ensure we're talking about her policies. We need to be able to evaluate her fairly as everyone else.”

Ideological Context and Influences

It is not just what Takaichi has said which has led people to label her as a supporter of the patriarchy.

It's also evident by which individuals her champions within the LDP have were.

She's the protégé of the late ex- conservative prime minister Shinzo Abe, and was endorsed in the leadership election by a senior politician – a senior figure in the ruling party at the head of one of the government's most influential conservative blocs.

His faction's support for Sanae Takaichi was pivotal in uniting the party's right wing in her favor.

“I believe that it is challenging for women to somewhat identify with her success because it furthers this notion that we must be compliant with the status quo,” young adult Minori Konishi remarks.

The 21-year-old concurs, stating that with her as a symbol for women in politics, “people are going to expect the identical from us as well”.

“They're going to expect women to be compliant, not go against the ideals that they hold, and it might make our role harder.”

Upcoming Challenges and Anticipations

Making history, though, was just the first of the difficulties Takaichi will face – including tackling a sluggish economy and inflation and regaining the confidence of a frustrated and angry electorate, as well as welcoming the US leader within days of taking power.

One can reasonably assume that few anticipate women's rights matters to be high on her agenda.