Sanae Takaichi, the newly elected leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), poses in the party leader's office after the LDP leadership election in Tokyo, Japan, October 4, 2025. Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool via REUTERS
TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) picked hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi as its head on Saturday, putting her on course to become the country's first female prime minister.
For most of the post-war period, the pick for LDP president was a shoo-in for the premiership because it held the majority in parliament, either on its own or with a coalition partner.
