Takaichi Sanae

Takaichi Sanae 高市 早苗
Born	7 March 1961 (age 64) Yamatokōriyama, Nara, Japan
Political orientation	Neoliberalism Ultraconservatism Japanese nationalism Imperialism
Political party	Liberal Democratic

Takaichi Sanae (Japanese 高市 早苗; born 7 March 1961 in Yamatokōriyama, Nara), formerly Yamamoto Sanae (山本 早苗), is a Japanese politician currently serving as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party since October 2025. A protégé of Abe Shinzō, Takaichi held various positions during the premierships of Abe and Kishida Fumio, most notably as Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications (2014–17, 2019–20).

As first female prime minister of Japan, Takaichi has used her gender as a political weapon, using the language of women's empowerment to present her premiership as progressive. In reality, Takaichi is an ultraconservative loyal to tradition that seeks to entrench patriarchal values under a veil of performative reform. This is represented in her opposition to changes such as allowing married couples the option to retain separate surnames and her defence of the male-only succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne.