Sanae Takaichi Scripts History, Gets Elected As Japan's 1st Female Prime Minister

Tokyo: Sanae Takaichi, leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Tuesday scripted history by getting elected as Japan's first female Prime Minister. Takaichi won majority vote in the Lower and Upper Houses of the country. After a run-off vote, Japan's Upper House also elected Takaichi to be the country's next PM.

In her speech addressing members of the LDP, she said urged them to work unitedly towards the progress of the nation.

"I will keep my promises. We can only rebuild by reuniting every generation and with everybody's participation. Because there are only a few of us, I ask everybody to work; Work like a horse. I myself will cast aside the idea of "work-life balance". I'll work, work, work, work, and work," she said.

She further emphasized to rebuild Japan.

Takaichi, also known as Japan's "Iron Lady", won 237 votes in the Lower House and 125 votes in the Upper House. She is a protege of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. Takaichi is Japan's fourth PM in five years, hinting at political instability in the Asian country.

Who Is Sanae Takaichi?

Born on March 7, 1961, Sanae Takaichi is the first female prime minister of Japan. She is also the president of the Liberal Democratic Party. She has also held several ministerial posts under prime ministers Shinzo Abe and Fumio Kishida.

Takaichi was first elected to the Japanese House of Representatives in the 1993 Japanese general election as an independent.

She served as a Parliamentary Vice Minister for the Ministry of International Trade and Industry under the Keizo Obuchi cabinet. She also served as chairman of the Education and Science Committee.

In the 2000 election for the Lower House, she was placed in the first position on the LDP's proportional representation list and easily won her third term. In 2002 she was appointed as the Senior Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry under Junichiro Koizumi.

In the 2005 Japanese general election, she won from the Nara 2nd district. Takaichi also served as a cabinet minister under Abe's tenure as PM.

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