Conservative Sanae Takaichi hailed a "new era" Saturday after becoming head of Japan's ruling party, putting her on course to become the country's first woman prime minister.

The 64-year-old, whose hero is Margaret Thatcher, said that a "mountain of work" lay ahead to restore the fortunes of her ailing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

The LDP has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for decades but it has been haemorrhaging support as backing grows for smaller parties, including the anti-immigration Sanseito.

Takaichi, a heavy metal drummer as a student, will almost certainly be approved by parliament later this month as Japan's fifth prime minister in as many years.

She is set to face a host of complex issues including an ageing population, geopolitical upheaval, a faltering economy and

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