Sanae Takaichi, Frontrunner for Japan’s First Female PM, Pledges to Tackle Nation’s Gender Gap

In a historic move that could reshape Japan’s political landscape, Sanae Takaichi, a prominent candidate for the nation’s top office, has made a central pillar of her campaign a promise to close the country’s persistent gender gap. As a leading contender in the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) leadership election, Takaichi’s pledge is a significant development for a country that has long struggled with gender inequality.

Japan’s political and economic spheres have a stark lack of female representation, a fact highlighted by its low ranking of 118th out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Gender Gap Index. Takaichi, a former Internal Affairs Minister, has outlined her vision to address this disparity by focusing on policies that directly impact women in the workforce. Her proposals include a plan to make babysitter fees partially tax-deductible and to provide corporate tax breaks for companies that establish in-house childcare services.

Takaichi’s platform is rooted in her own life experiences. “I have personally experienced nursing and caregiving three times in my life,” she said in a recent statement, “That’s why my determination has only grown stronger to reduce the number of people forced to leave their jobs due to caregiving, child-rearing or children refusing to attend school.” She also addressed the sensitive topic of women’s health, vowing to raise awareness around issues such as menopause.

While her conservative background has not traditionally aligned with gender issues, her new focus on women’s empowerment is seen as a strategic pivot. The October 4th LDP leadership election is particularly crucial as its winner will become Japan’s next prime minister, following the resignation of the incumbent, Shigeru Ishiba. Should she win, Sanae Takaichi would not only become Japan’s first female head of government but would also face the challenge of translating her ambitious pledges into meaningful action to reverse decades of gender disparity.