Mariko Oi
Presenter, Asia Specific podcast

Image source, Reuters

While many of Japan’s feminists may not be celebrating the country’s
first female prime minister for her policies, I believe Takaichi can still be a role model that young Japanese
girls could look up to – it shows them you don’t need to be an old man to be a leader of
their country.

As Kathy Matsui, who coined the term Womenomics, says, you cannot
be what you cannot see.

In a country where so many prime ministers and lawmakers are sons,
grandsons or even great grandsons of politicians, there is a certain level of
respect for her effort to have climbed up the political ladder without having a family connection.

It
is well known that Takaichi’s parents didn’t want to send her to a university
because she was a girl – and that the young Takaichi had to earn her own tuition fees.

She has also talked openly about her struggles to have biological
children but has helped to raise three children from her husband’s previous marriage.

Her most recent challenge has been to take care of her husband who recently had
a stroke.

Those personal experiences have and will most certainly shape her
policies.