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Japan is preparing to install its first female prime minister following the decisive election of Sanae Takaichi as the leader of the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Takaichi, a prominent rightwing politician, secured the party presidency by beating her moderate rival, Shinjiro Koizumi, in a runoff election held at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo.
The victory is widely expected to be formalised by a parliamentary vote around 15 October, where she will be approved as the country's new leader, despite the LDP-led coalition no longer holding an outright majority.
Takaichi, 64, is known for her strong political convictions and has often voiced her deep admiration for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, aspiring to build a strong and prosperous Japan on the international stage.
Her election is a moment of profound symbolism in a country that consistently ranks poorly in global gender gap comparisons and has few female corporate and business leaders.
However, her stance on gender issues is complex; she has opposed policies many voters believe would advance gender equality, such as allowing women to become reigning empresses and married couples to use different surnames.
Despite the celebratory nature of her historic achievement, Takaichi acknowledged the gravity of the road ahead, stating, 'Rather than feeling happy right now, I feel real challenges lie ahead.
I am convinced that there is a mountain of work we must tackle together.' She inherits a party weakened by a long-running funding scandal and public dissatisfaction over its failure to tackle the escalating cost of living crisis.