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To numerous young girls in Japan currently, the image of Sanae Takaichi taking the helm as the country's first ever female leader is powerful and formative.

It means a patriarchal society and a government structure that has long been dominated by men is currently headed by a woman.

However, although the optics speak of a forward-thinking era, some women do not view her as an advocate for change.

It was rather interesting to observe how individuals outside Japan have reacted to the news,” Ayda Ogura states.

“Everyone's like, ‘wow, she's the inaugural woman prime minister in Japanese history and that would be a significant chance for female advancement and gender equality in Japan’.

“I think that's a very naive view.”

Instead, Ms Ogura highlights her “political beliefs and what she represents,” adding: “She reinforces the patriarchal system.”

A big fan of Margaret Thatcher, Sanae Takaichi has long aspired to be the “Steel Magnolia” of her country.

And like Thatcher, Takaichi is a staunch conservative.

Analysts note her leadership is a strategic decision from the governing LDP to appeal to the increasingly right-leaning supporters which had lately shifted towards Japan's more extreme conservative groups.

The leader is against same-sex marriage and has long stood against legislation that would allow married couples to have different last names, preventing many women from keeping their birth surnames.

Additionally, she is against women being in eligible for the throne in the royal household.

However, she did soften some of her messaging during her campaign – saying she supports giving financial benefits to companies that provide childcare facilities to their employees and mentioned potential tax breaks for families spending on childcare.

Yet she has historically backed the notion of a conventional role for women in the community and in the home.

When it comes to gender matters, Takaichi is consistent with her country's less than impressive record on equality concerns.

The Country's Inequality in Context

Japanese women are among the most highly educated and most skilled in the globe and yet they struggle with the demands of a traditional culture that still directs them into conventional positions.

Based on the 2025 gender gap index by the World Economic Forum, Japan placed 118th out of among 148 nations, with female representation in the political arena particularly minimal.

Leadership positions have traditionally been dominated by men and Japan has faced difficulties to boost the quantity of women legislators and corporate executives.

The globally fourth biggest economy places at the bottom among the Group of Seven nations when it comes to the percentage of females in its legislative body. In detail, women constitute about less than 16% of lawmakers in Japan, the smallest proportion among the seven major economies.

It is even slow when it comes to women's reproductive health: recently was it announced that the “emergency” pill – a form of emergency contraception sold over the counter in more than 90 nations – had at last been authorized for over the counter use in Japan.

Differing Reactions to the Historic Appointment

Even so, some see Takaichi's rise to power as a critical juncture that could change how women view their prospects.

“It is highly meaningful in Ms Takaichi assuming the role of prime minister, with a wider influence on the public,” Naomi Koshi – who was elected as the country's most youthful woman city leader in 2012 – informed Japan's Kyodo news agency.

Koshi argued Japan having a female prime minister will “reduce mental obstacles” for women and girls, enabling them to believe it is acceptable to “stand out” as authorities in businesses and society, even as biased expectations and norms still persist.

But Audrey Hill-Uekawa notes that, while it is notable Japan has its first female prime minister, it is important to recall it required her more than 30 years to get to that office.

“She's also not truly going against the grain. She expresses the identical views as the men.”

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

“We need to ensure we're talking about her policies. We must be capable of evaluate her equally as all other leaders.”

Political Background and Associations

It is not just what Takaichi has stated which has led people to label her as a defender of the male-dominated system.

It's also evident by who her supporters within the LDP have were.

She was mentored of the deceased former conservative prime minister Shinzo Abe, and was endorsed in the party vote by a senior politician – a senior figure in the LDP at the head of one of the government's most powerful right-wing factions.

Their group's backing for Sanae Takaichi was crucial in consolidating the conservative wing behind her.

“I believe that it is challenging for women to sort of relate to her success because it furthers this idea that we must be compliant with the existing system,” young adult a citizen says.

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

“They will demand women to be conforming, not go against the beliefs that they hold, and it might make our role more difficult.”

Upcoming Obstacles and Expectations

Making history, though, was only the initial of the challenges Takaichi will face – including tackling a sluggish economy and inflation and winning back the confidence of a frustrated and angry electorate, as in addition to welcoming the US leader within days of taking power.

One can reasonably assume that no-one expects women's rights matters to be high on her agenda.