Takaichi set to be Japan's fourth prime minister in just five years and the country's first-ever female leader

Sanae Takaichi, the newly elected leader of Japan's ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), holds a press conference after the LDP presidential election in Tokyo, Japan, October 4, 2025. Conservative Sanae Takaichi hailed a "new era" on October 4 after winning the leadership of Japan's ruling party, putting her on course to become the country's first woman prime minister. -- Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool via REUTERS

TOKYO (dpa): Japan's conservative ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Saturday elected former minister Sanae Takaichi as its first female leader, positioning her for a likely successful run for prime minister later this month.

More than 900,000 party members and 295 LDP lawmakers cast ballots, choosing the staunchly conservative Takaichi in a run-off against her moderate contender Shinjirō Koizumi.