NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

As Britain marked the 100th anniversary of Margaret Thatcher’s birth last week, Japan made history of its own on Tuesday by electing its first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, a self-declared admirer of the “Iron Lady.”

Takaichi, 64, who has long cited Thatcher as a personal and political inspiration, was chosen by Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), during an extraordinary session of the country’s lower house, replacing former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and ending several months of political turbulence that saw the party lose its upper-house majority in July.

In remarks after her election, Takaichi said she felt “the tough work starts here” and promised to restore public confidence and strengthen Japan’s security posture.

See Full Page