TOKYO: Sanae Takaichi has made history by winning the parliamentary vote to become Japan’s first-ever female prime minister.

The 64-year-old conservative, often dubbed Japan’s “Iron Lady”, has long admired former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Her election marks a groundbreaking moment in Japan’s male-dominated political landscape. This was Takaichi’s third bid for the top post.

She now becomes Japan’s fourth prime minister in just five years, reflecting the frequent leadership changes that have plagued the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) amid a string of political scandals.

A key figure in the LDP’s hardline nationalist faction, Takaichi is widely regarded as a protégé of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was her political mentor and ally.

Earlier, former U.S. President Donald Trump praised Takaichi, describing her as a “highly respected person of great wisdom.”

Her victory is seen as both a symbolic breakthrough for Japanese women in politics and a test of leadership sta