Sanae Takaichi has won the national election in Japan and soon will become the first female prime minister of Japan after the confirmation from the parliament (scheduled for October 15, 2025). Having been in the political arena long enough, she eventually takes turn to drive Japan’s future into the new era.
Here are the top five pieces of leadership advice from her:
1. Work with People
The newly elected prime minister has pledged that she will rebuild the party (LDP) by mobilizing all generations of the Japanese people. According to DW-TV, “After Takaichi's victory, the new LDP leader pledged to rebuild the party by mobilizing all generations of the Japanese people.”
However, this is an uphill battle, if not an impossible challenge to overcome, given the declining popularity of her party over the years. Nonetheless, she is expected to perform well when it comes to the relationships with people.
For example, she had built a good relationship with the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, immediately after joining the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). According to The Japan News, “In 1996, Takaichi joined the LDP. She was liked by late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and built a good relationship with him.”
Another significant influence over her willingness to work with people from a different background was after her graduation from Kobe University (Japan) as she went on to Washington, D.C. (United States) to work as an intern for Representative Patricia Schroeder of Colorado, a Democrat.
She is willing to work with people from all political parties, and that is a rare quality for a leader, provided that the reality of politics can be more complex than one can possibly imagine.
2. Lead by Example
From a middle-class family background, Takaichi has understood the importance of being disciplined and hard-working. According to The New York Times, “Her mother was a police officer, and her father worked for a car company.”
She knows that if you need something done, you should do it yourself. From there, people will take note and follow your lead.
3. Be as Tough as Nails
She views herself as the heir to Shinzo Abe whose legacy was traditionalist vision, not the mention the market-friendly policies, especially to the west. That explains her philosophy of being as tough as nails.
She is reported to have visited the Yasukuni Shrine (where many of the Samurai-warrior-type soldiers were buried) repeatedly, for example.
She admires Margaret Thatcher (aka the Iron Lady) who was the first female prime minister of Britain.
After her first failed attempt in the political arena, Sanae Takaichi remained unshaken, but that wasn’t without some support from her close one. For example, according to The Japan News, she received a letter from her father after failing in the run for the House of Councillors, back in July 1992: “You can use all my retirement money to help finance your election campaign. Be confident and don’t forget to shake hands and bow. Take it easy.”
His confidence in her gave her renewed strength and reassurance of her political aspirations, regardless of the future uncertainty and unpredictability. The lesson here is, even when you fail, as a leader, you have to remain strong and confident. Be as tough as nails!
Sanae Takaichi will be the Iron Lady of Japan, but it will not be a surprise to see her compromising her toughness in favor of the country’s stability and prosperity. That leads to the next key of leadership advice from her.
4. Winning the Heart, Not just Argument
With only 124 million people, Japan is currently the fourth-largest economy in the world, and yet its population has grown tired of being told what to think. They want different kind of leaderships, and they have spoken: The First Female Prime Minister!
She positions herself as the center-right conservative, and her views on many issues are considered moderate, which would allow her to unify the country. That is the golden rule of any political leaders around the world!
5. Make Alliance Great Again
She sees the strategic importance of trilateral relations with the U.S. and South Korea, and she intends to make it work, despite her nationalist stances on other issues.
On Monday, October 6, 2025, President Trump posted on his Truth Social account to congratulate the newly elected Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi:
“Japan has just elected its first female Prime Minister, a highly respected person of great wisdom and strength. This is tremendous news for the incredible people of Japan. Congratulations to all!”
In response, she wrote on her X account to thank him: “I was very pleased to receive such warm words of congratulations from @realDonaldTrump. Truly hoping to work together with President Trump to make our [Japan-U.S.] Alliance even stronger & more prosperous, and to advance a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.”
As the protégé of the late Prime Minister Abe, she is expected to make alliance between Japan and U.S. healthier than ever before. According to The Japan Times, “Media reports have said that Trump is expected to visit its key Asian ally [Japan] in late October.”
What it means from this trip is that she could potentially win over the heart of President Trump (the same way that Margaret Thatcher did to Ronald Reagan), allowing Japan to bounce back in way that has never been seen before, in terms of Japan’s economic prosperity and national security.
When Japan makes a ship, she does not just make a small one. For example, she made Musashi and Yamato; these were the super battleships, the likes of which the world had never seen before. When Japan elects a female prime minister, the world ought to pay attention.
When Sanae Takaichi speaks, the world should listen, for she has the wisdom and strength to carry it along.