Trumpism Invades Japan as Liberal Democratic Party Elects Ultra-Conservative Sanae Takaichi as Its Leader

When I was in Japan working in the 1970s, I recall the ever-dominant Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as what its name implied, liberal, but now it’s being billed as a conservative parliamentary force. It is, however, also no longer the majority party.

Whatever it is politically, the LDP on Saturday elected ultra-conservative Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, the first female to hold the position. She is now in a position to become Japan’s first female prime minister if the LDP can keep its coalition in place, including the centrist Komeito party.

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”Now that the LDP has its first female president, its scenery will change a little,” Takaichi said after the vote. She bested four other male candidates in winning the position

Takaichi, a Margaret Thatcher admirer who reportedly owns and rides a motorcycle, ranks good relations with the U.S. as a prime objective. She will gtt a chance to meet with U.S. President Trump on October 31 during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea.

Trump is expected to push Japan to increase its defense spending to help offset U.S. military commitments to Indo-Pacific Command and United States Forces Japan, headquartered in Tokyo.

The former prime minister, Shingeru Ichiba, resigned after inking a trade deal with President Trump. Takaichi says she will honor that agreement.

Takaichi, 64, is a protégé of slain Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, also a conservative force in Japan politics.