Sanae Takaichi's election campaign hardly touched on gender or family issues except her support for tax relief for babysitter fees. Photograph: Jiji Press/ EPA
In a sign of a more progressive kind of politics – or perhaps not – Japan’s long-time governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) last week elected a woman, Sanae Takaichi, to lead party and country as its next prime minister.
This was a first for the country and a surprise in a state that ranks 118th on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index.
Takaichi (64) is a controversial, brash, well-known former TV host, ex-minister and once drummer in a heavy metal band (she still practises on her kit at home).
She is also an admirer of Margaret Thatcher.
Although she spoke during her leadership campaign of “Nordic” levels of female cabinet appointments – there are just two in the outgo
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