When Japan’s governing party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, a hard-line ultra-conservative and China hawk, as its new leader on 4 October, making her likely to become the country’s first female prime minister, it raised eyebrows in some quarters. The path to the high office was not smooth, however. The LDP received further setback when its junior coalition partner, the Komeito, pulled out from the alliance because of policy differences. Since the LDP does not have a majority in either of the two Houses of the Diet, roping in some opposition parties to the formation of a coalition government required concessions and compromises.

After series of parleys, the LDP and the major opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai or Japan Innovation Pa

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