Ex-Japanese minister Sanae Takaichi to seek party leadership, opening prospect of first female PM

Sanae Takaichi became the first female internal affairs minister in the second Abe administration in 2014. - Reuters

TOKYO (Reuters): Former Japanese internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi is set to announce her bid for ruling party leadership on Wednesday (Sept 8), her office said, which if successful would see her become Japan's first female prime minister.

Takaichi has the backing of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, local media said, and would base her challenge on policies to fend off China's technology threat and help strengthen an economy battered by the coronavirus pandemic.