Ultraconservative, anti-immigrant: Who is Japan’s first woman PM?

Sanae Takaichi has made history by becoming Japan’s first female prime minister . However, this was hardly a win for feminist or progressive politics.

Takaichi is a right-wing ultraconservative whose policy positions derive from traditionalist perspectives on the role of women, Japanese history and society more broadly.

She has the same anti-immigrant positions as conservatives and right-wing populists the world over, defending “ national identity and traditional values ”, while emphasising the importance of strong economic growth .

Far from solving Japan’s economic problems, however, policies that restrict immigration tend to cause labour shortages and inflation .

Japan is the canary in the coalmine for many developed countries suffering a demographic crisis due to falli