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For many female youth in Japan today, the sight of Sanae Takaichi taking the helm as the country's first ever woman prime minister is powerful and influential.

This signifies a patriarchal society and a government structure that has long been dominated by men is now led by a woman.

However, although the optics speak of a progressive moment, certain females do not view her as an champion of progress.

“It was quite fascinating to observe how individuals beyond Japan's borders have responded to the news,” a 21-year-old states.

“Everyone's like, ‘wow, she's the inaugural woman prime minister in the nation's past and that would be a great opportunity for female advancement and gender equality in Japan’.

“I think that's a rather simplistic interpretation.”

Conversely, the young woman points to her “political beliefs and what she represents,” adding: “She reinforces the patriarchal system.”

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

And like Thatcher, Takaichi is a firm conservative.

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

The leader is against marriage equality and has long stood against laws that would permit spouses to have different last names, preventing many women from retaining their birth surnames.

She's also opposed to females being in line for succession in the royal household.

However, she did soften some of her messaging during her campaign – saying she supports giving financial benefits to businesses that provide daycare services to their staff and spoke of possible deductions for families spending on child-rearing.

But she has historically supported the notion of a more traditional position for women in the community and in the family.

When it comes to women's issues, Takaichi is aligned with her nation's subpar performance on gender issues.

The Country's Gender Gap in Perspective

Women in Japan are some of the best educated and highest qualified in the world and yet they face challenges with the expectations of a conservative society that still pushes them into conventional positions.

Based on the 2025 gender gap index by the World Economic Forum, Japan ranked 118th among nearly 150 countries, with female representation in the political arena particularly minimal.

Leadership positions have historically been held by men and Japan has struggled to increase the number of female lawmakers and business leaders.

The globally fourth biggest economy places at the bottom among the G7 countries when it comes to the share of females in its national parliament. In detail, women constitute about 15.7% of lawmakers in Japan, the lowest figure among the seven major economies.

It is even slow when it comes to women's reproductive health: only this week was it announced that the “morning after” pill – a type of emergency contraception sold over the counter in more than 90 nations – had at last been authorized for non-prescription sales in Japan.

Mixed Responses to the Landmark Leadership

Even so, some see Takaichi's rise to power as a critical juncture that could alter how women perceive their opportunities.

“There is great significance in the new prime minister becoming prime minister, with a wider influence on society,” Naomi Koshi – who was elected as the country's youngest female mayor in 2012 – told local media.

Koshi argued Japan electing a woman prime minister will “lower mental obstacles” for females of all ages, enabling them to believe it is acceptable to “excel” as authorities in businesses and society, despite gender-based stereotypes and norms still persist.

However Audrey Hill-Uekawa notes that, while it is remarkable Japan has its inaugural woman prime minister, one must remember it required her more than 30 years to reach that position.

“Additionally, she is not really going against the norm. She's saying the identical views as the men.”

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

“It is essential to make sure we're discussing her agenda. We need to be able to criticise her equally as all other leaders.”

Ideological Background and Influences

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

Additionally, it is evident by who her supporters inside the party have been.

She was mentored of the late former conservative prime minister Shinzo Abe, and was endorsed in the party vote by Taro Aso – a senior figure in the ruling party at the head of one of the ruling party's most powerful conservative blocs.

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

“I believe that it is challenging for women to somewhat relate to her achievement because it furthers this notion that we have to be obedient with the existing system,” 21-year-old a citizen says.

Ms Ogura agrees, stating that with her as a symbol for women in politics, “the public are likely to anticipate the same from us as well”.

“They're going to expect women to be conforming, not go against the ideals that they have, and it could render our role more difficult.”

Future Obstacles and Expectations

Achieving this milestone, however, was only the initial of the difficulties Takaichi will face – not least addressing a sluggish economy and rising prices and winning back the confidence of a frustrated and irate voting public, as in addition to hosting president Trump within days of taking power.

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