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To numerous female youth in Japan currently, the sight of Sanae Takaichi taking the helm as the country's inaugural woman prime minister is impactful and influential.

It means a male-oriented culture and a government structure that has historically been controlled by men is currently headed by a woman.

But while the optics suggest a forward-thinking era, certain females don't see her as an champion of progress.

It was rather interesting to observe how individuals outside Japan have reacted to the news,” Ayda Ogura states.

People are saying, ‘wow, she's the first female prime minister in Japanese history and that would be a great opportunity for female advancement and gender equality in Japan’.

“I think that's a very naive view.”

Instead, Ms Ogura points to her “ideological stance and what she stands for,” noting: “She reinforces the patriarchal system.”

A big fan of Britain's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi has always wanted to be the “Iron Lady” of her country.

Similar to Thatcher, Takaichi is a staunch right-wing politician.

Observers say her leadership is a strategic decision from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to attract the more conservative base which had recently gravitated towards Japan's more extreme conservative groups.

The leader is against same-sex marriage and has long stood against laws that would permit spouses to have different last names, preventing many women from retaining their maiden names.

Additionally, she is opposed to females being in line for succession in the royal household.

Nonetheless, she moderated some of her messaging during her election bid – stating she favours giving tax incentives to businesses that offer childcare facilities to their staff and spoke of possible deductions for households spending on child-rearing.

But she has historically backed the notion of a more traditional role for women in the community and in the home.

Regarding women's issues, Takaichi is aligned with her nation's subpar performance on gender issues.

The Country's Inequality in Context

Japanese women are among the best educated and most skilled in the world and yet they struggle with the expectations of a traditional culture that still directs them into conventional positions.

According to the latest equality ranking by the global organization, Japan placed 118th among nearly 150 nations, with women's presence in the field of politics particularly minimal.

Top roles have historically been held by men and Japan has faced difficulties to increase the number of female lawmakers and corporate executives.

The globally fourth biggest economic power places at the bottom among the G7 countries when it comes to the percentage of females in its national parliament. In detail, women make up about less than 16% of lawmakers in Japan, the smallest proportion among the seven major economies.

Progress is also sluggish when it comes to female healthcare: recently was it revealed that the “emergency” pill – a form of post-coital birth control available without prescription in over ninety nations – had finally been approved for non-prescription sales in Japan.

Differing Reactions to the Historic Leadership

Nonetheless, some see Takaichi's rise to power as a critical juncture that could alter how women perceive their prospects.

“There is great significance in the new prime minister becoming prime minister, with a wider influence on society,” Naomi Koshi – who became the nation's most youthful woman city leader in 2012 – informed Japan's Kyodo news agency.

Koshi argued Japan having a female prime minister will “reduce mental obstacles” for females of all ages, enabling them to believe it is normal to “excel” as authorities in companies and the community, despite gender-based stereotypes and norms still persist.

But Audrey Hill-Uekawa points out that, while it is remarkable Japan has its first female prime minister, one must remember it took her more than 30 years to reach that office.

“Additionally, she is not truly going against the grain. She's saying the same thing as the men.”

The young woman further states that she shouldn't be put on a platform just due to the fact she is a woman.

“We need to ensure we're discussing her policies. We need to be capable of evaluate her fairly as all other leaders.”

Political Background and Influences

It is not just what Takaichi has said which has led people to label her as a defender of the patriarchy.

It's also evident by who her supporters inside the party have been.

She's the protégé of the late ex- conservative prime minister a previous leader, and was backed in the party vote by Taro Aso – a prominent member in the LDP at the leadership of one of the ruling party's most powerful conservative blocs.

Their group's backing for Sanae Takaichi was pivotal in consolidating the conservative wing in her favor.

“I do feel that it is challenging for women to somewhat identify with her success because it furthers this idea that we have to be compliant with the existing system,” young adult a citizen remarks.

The 21-year-old agrees, stating that with her as a figurehead for women in politics, “the public are likely to anticipate the identical from women as too”.

“They're going to expect us to be conforming, not oppose the ideals that they have, and it might make our role more difficult.”

Upcoming Obstacles and Anticipations

Making history, however, was just the first of the challenges Takaichi will face – not least addressing a sluggish economy and inflation and winning back the confidence of a frustrated and angry electorate, as in addition to welcoming the US leader within a short time of taking power.

One can reasonably assume that few anticipate women's rights matters to be high on her agenda.