TOKYO - Sanae Takaichi, elected as the Liberal Democratic Party’s new president on October 4th, declared on stage, “I ask everybody to work like a horse,” after defeating agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff to become the party’s first female leader.
The leadership contest drew five candidates: former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, former secretary-general Toshimitsu Motegi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, Takaichi, and Koizumi. In the first round of voting, Koizumi led with 80 votes among Diet members but trailed in the rank-and-file ballot, where Takaichi secured 119 votes. With a total of 183 votes, she surpassed Koizumi by 19 and advanced to the final round. Hayashi, who finished third, was eliminated, prompting disappointment among supporters in his hometown of Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
The runoff was decided by 295 Diet member votes and 47 prefectural ballots. At around 3 p.m., election committee chair Kenji Kosaka announced that Takaichi won 149 Diet votes and 36 prefectural votes, for a total of 185, compared with Koizumi’s 156. The result marked a reversal of her 2024 defeat against Ishiba, making her the first woman to lead the party in its seven decades of existence. Despite the historic victory, Takaichi appeared without a smile.
In her hometown of Tenri, Nara Prefecture, supporters erupted in applause and expressed disbelief and joy at the news. Taking the stage as new president, Takaichi expressed gratitude to Ishiba and declared her resolve: “Together with many of you, we have opened a new era for the LDP. We will build a more spirited and brighter party. We have few in number, so everyone must work, like workhorses. I myself will abandon the words ‘work-life balance.’ I will work and work and work and work.”
Her message was clear: relentless effort would define her leadership. After the convention, Koizumi conceded defeat, saying, “I am grateful. My team pushed me to the final round, but the fact that the result did not come is simply due to my lack of ability.”
Later in the afternoon, Takaichi addressed her campaign team, reflecting on the magnitude of her task. “The moment I won, I knew this would be difficult. From now on the challenge begins. We must rebuild the LDP so that many citizens place their trust, feel secure, and rely on us once again,” she said.
With the race concluded, Takaichi’s leadership marks a turning point for the ruling party, setting the stage for how Japan’s political landscape will evolve under its first female leader.
Related: Takaichi Wins LDP Leadership, Poised to Become Japan’s First Female Prime Minister
Source: FNN
