Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s first month in office has been energetic, assertive, and politically revealing.[1] Since assuming office on October 21, 2025, she has moved quickly to define the contours of her leadership, blending economic activism with ideological conviction and strategic diplomacy. As Japan’s first female prime minister with firmly conservative credentials, her rise carries both symbolic weight and political controversy. Her early decisions suggest clarity of intention but also highlight the structural weaknesses and diplomatic sensitivities that will shape her tenure.
An NHK poll shows PM Takaichi’s Cabinet has a 66% approval rating with just 15% disapproving, the third highest on record in Japan after the Cabinets of Koizumi Junichiro and Hatoyama Yukio. Among supporters, 33% cite trust in the Cabinet’s ability to deliver, 26% have high expectations for its policies, and 22% feel it is better than the alternatives. Among those disapproving, 26% say they do not trust the prime minister, 24% have low expectations for her policies, and 18% believe other leadership options appear stronger.[2]
It’s a good position from where to start a first term of high office. Domestically, Takaichi has focused first on Japan’s persistent cost-of-living crisis. Inflation, stagnant wages, and the burden of high energy prices have dominated public concern. In her policy speech on October 24,[3]she pledged targeted relief while maintaining a modicum of fiscal discipline. Her proposal to curtail the provisional petrol tax was framed as an immediate benefit for households. Analysts warn that the move could strain Japan’s already fragile fiscal base and widen inconsistencies with climate policy.[4]
She also announced cuts to her own salary and those of her Cabinet ministers, a gesture intended to signal seriousness about fiscal reform. The symbolism resonated with the public even if the economic impact is minimal. But her working style quickly became a matter of debate. News of a 3 a.m. meeting with her aides stirred nationwide discussion about Japan’s entrenched overwork culture. Some praised her intensity and commitment, while others argued that such behaviour sets the wrong example in a country struggling with burnout and demographic decline. The episode revealed the tension between Takaichi’s personal ethos of discipline and a public increasingly concerned with work-life balance.
A particular domestic issue of growing public concern is about illegal activities committed by a small number of foreign residents, particularly the rowdy behaviour of tourists in her home district of Nara. Takaichi’s Cabinet has announced plans to review the current rules governing foreign nationals in Japan, which could include land and asset holdings by foreigners, particularly Chinese. The plan is to draft a set of basic policy guidelines by January.[5] Public opinion on this is divided, with 42% of respondents seeking proactive action by the Cabinet and 47% favouring a cautious approach. [6]
Her foreign policy has been dynamic, aided by the dates of the East Asia Summit and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summits early in her term. Takaichi’s meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on October 28, a week after her swearing-in, is the most high-profile engagement of her early tenure.[7] Together they announced new agreements on trade, critical minerals, and nuclear technology, and she declared her intent to usher the bilateral relationship into a “golden age.” Japan’s strategic reliance on the U.S. remains central to its worldview, which aligns with Washington on security threats and regional dynamics. Yet the embrace also comes with risk: Trump’s transactional approach to alliances means that Japan may face unpredictable demands, including pressure for expanded defence spending or renegotiated trade arrangements. Takaichi must walk a fine line between ideological affinity and strategic autonomy. She did well to keep him in good humour without any concession on how Japan will invest its promised $550 billion in the U.S. Her advance announcement of a faster rise in defence spending was welcome to U.S. ears.[8]
Her tough stance on China has already produced friction. Beijing was quick to respond when Takaichi stated that an attack on Taiwan could constitute a “situation threatening Japan’s survival.”[9] A Chinese diplomat publicly criticised her on social media, signalling the sensitivity of Taiwan-related rhetoric. Her earlier visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which she presently abjures, and her revisionist views on wartime history – which include honouring wartime dead and suggesting that they would be viewed as heroes had Japan been victorious in the Sino-Japanese war and World War II – continue to unsettle both China and South Korea. For Beijing, her leadership signals a Japan more willing to assert its defence interests, deepen cooperation with Taiwan, and strengthen the U.S. alliance, moves that China interprets as provocative. She met the leader of the Taiwan delegation at the APEC summit, drawing Chinese ire. The Japanese respondents to the poll on this issue were supportive, with 70% rating the Takaichi-Xi meeting well.
Takaichi has accurately read and pursued regional diplomacy beyond great-power tensions. Her debut at the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia allowed her to open channels with leaders from the Philippines, Australia, and Malaysia,[10]demonstrating continuity in Japan’s commitment to Southeast Asia. Her first call to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reinforced shared interests in the Free and Open Indo-Pacific, supply chain resilience, and strategic connectivity. This positioning reflects her desire to maintain the foundations laid by Shinzo Abe, whose legacy still shapes Japan’s Indo-Pacific engagement.[11]
Despite the confident start, Takaichi must navigate significant political vulnerabilities at home. Her Cabinet appointments reveal a careful balancing act: she distributed key positions to major Liberal Democratic Party factions to manage internal rivalries, while reserving important portfolios for loyalists who share her ideological goals, particularly in security, education, and energy. But the structural weakness of her government looms large. The collapse of the LDP’s long-term partnership with the centrist Komeito party forced her to rely on the more conservative Japan Innovation Party (JIP). Even with JIP support, her coalition lacks a majority in both houses of the Diet. This exposes her administration to legislative gridlock and heightens the risk of no-confidence motions. Without a broader coalition or improved ties with Komeito, her government may struggle to pass major reforms or survive sustained political challenges.
The road ahead is therefore fraught with political, economic, and diplomatic challenges. The most immediate concern is stability. A minority government is inherently precarious, and Takaichi’s strong ideological profile limits her flexibility in courting new partners. She must find a way to manage both opposition parties and her own party’s moderate factions, some of whom remain uneasy with her nationalist leanings. On the economic front, she must demonstrate that her inflation relief measures and fiscal reforms can revive consumption without worsening Japan’s massive national debt or constraining wage growth. Critics argue that her instincts lean toward austerity, raising concerns that her policies may reinforce deflationary pressures at a time when Japan needs sustained income expansion.
Diplomatically, Takaichi’s assertiveness toward China may heighten regional tensions. Japan’s economic ties with China remain significant, and any deterioration in relations risks damaging trade and supply chains. At the same time, managing the demands of the Trump administration will require delicate negotiation. The strategic logic of the U.S.-Japan alliance is strong, but its political dynamics remain volatile. Takaichi must balance solidarity with autonomy, ensuring Japan does not become overly dependent on Washington’s shifting priorities.
On the domestic social front, she faces scepticism from younger and liberal voters, who worry that her conservative views on same-sex marriage, gender roles, and constitutional revision may reinforce traditional hierarchies rather than advance social inclusion. Although her election was historic, many women remain unconvinced that her leadership will translate into meaningful progress on gender equity.
In her first month, Sanae Takaichi has shown determination, clarity, and ideological consistency. But she begins her tenure on politically fragile ground, facing both domestic constraints and regional volatility. Her challenge will be to transform a fast, forceful start into sustainable governance. Whether she can evolve from a polarising conservative icon into a pragmatic national leader will determine the durability and legacy of her premiership.
Gurjit Singh is a former Indian Ambassador to Germany. He is currently promoting the impact investment movement for implementing SDGs in Africa.
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References:
[1] Japan’s new Prime Minister Takaichi delivers her first policy speech, NHK World, 24 October 2025, https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20251024_10/
[2] NHK poll: Takaichi Cabinet’s approval rate stands at 66%, NHK World, 11 November 2025, https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20251111_05/
[3] Policy Speech by Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae to the 219th Session of the Diet, PM Office, Japan, 24 October 2025, https://japan.kantei.go.jp/104/actions/202510/24shu_san_honkaigi.html
[4] Ministerial Council on the Monthly Economic Report and Other Relative Issues PMO, Japan, 29 October 2025, https://japan.kantei.go.jp/104/actions/202510/29getsurei.html
[5] Takaichi eager to outline policies on foreigners in January, Asahi Shinbun, 4 November 2025, https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/16134834
[6] Ibid Note 2
[7] Japan-U.S. Summit Meeting, PMO Japan, 28 October 2025, https://japan.kantei.go.jp/104/actions/202510/28usa.html
[8] Japan signals defence budget surge ahead of Trump visit, Asahi Shinbun, 22 October 2025, https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/16107179
[9] Japan’s Survival-Threatening Situation: Don’t Play Politics with Serious Issues of National Security, Yomiuri Shinbun, Editorial, 13 November 2025, https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/editorial/yomiuri-editorial/20251113-292435/
[10] ASEAN-related Summit Meetings, PMO Japan, 26 October 2025, https://japan.kantei.go.jp/104/actions/202510/26asean_1.html
[11] Japan-India Summit Telephone Talk, MFA Japan, 29 October 2025, https://www.mofa.go.jp/s_sa/sw/in/pageite_000001_01340.html