Full Breakdown
Women’s Disappointment Grows for Japan’s First Female Prime Minister
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Declining Female Support for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi
Over the past year, the initial enthusiasm that many women and younger voters felt for Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has shifted toward disappointment. A Jiji Press opinion poll shows that the approval rating for Takaichi’s cabinet among women fell to 42.9 %, down from 65.9 % at the time she took office. The drop reflects a broader erosion of support that was once stronger among women than among men.
Background & Context
Takaichi’s ascent to the premiership was hailed as a potential turning point for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which had long been dominated by male leadership. Observers noted that her gender could broaden the party’s appeal to demographics that traditionally did not support the LDP, particularly women and younger voters. The expectation was that her tenure would signal a shift in the party’s image and policy priorities.
Data & Statistics
- Women’s cabinet approval: 65.9 % at inauguration -> 42.9 % after one year (Jiji Press poll).
- The decline among women has been identified as a factor pulling down the overall approval rating for the cabinet.
Official Statements & Responses
He added that the waning support among women, who initially backed the cabinet more strongly than men, has weighed on the government’s overall approval. Shin also noted the absence of any prominent figure within the LDP or the opposition who could replace Takaichi, suggesting that active backing for the prime minister has diminished.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Women and younger voters who were not traditional supporters of the Liberal Democratic Party had high expectations for Takaichi because she was a woman and appeared to represent a change in the party’s image,” — Shin
- “The decline in support among women, who initially backed the cabinet more strongly than men, has weighed on its overall approval rating,” — Shin