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Sanae Takaichi

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Sanae Takaichi
高市 早苗
Sanae Takaichi in 2019
Minister of State for Economic Security
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 August 2022
Prime MinisterFumio Kishida
Preceded byTakayuki Kobayashi
Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications
In office
11 September 2019 – 16 September 2020
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byMasatoshi Ishida
Succeeded byRyota Takeda
In office
3 September 2014 – 3 August 2017
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byYoshitaka Shindō
Succeeded bySeiko Noda
Junior ministerial offices
Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs
In office
26 September 2006 – 26 September 2007
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byYuriko Koike
Succeeded byFumio Kishida
Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy
In office
26 September 2006 – 26 September 2007
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byIwao Matsuda
Succeeded byFumio Kishida
Minister of State for Gender Equality and Social Affairs
In office
26 September 2006 – 26 September 2007
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byKuniko Inoguchi
Succeeded byYōko Kamikawa
Minister of State for Food Safety
In office
26 September 2006 – 26 September 2007
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byIwao Matsuda
Succeeded byShinya Izumi
Minister of State for Innovation
In office
26 September 2006 – 26 September 2007
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Member of the House of Representatives
for Nara's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
11 September 2005
Preceded byMakoto Taki
Personal details
Born (1961-03-07) 7 March 1961 (age 63)
Yamatokōriyama, Nara, Japan
Political partyIndependent (Before 1994)
New Frontier Party (1994–1996)
Liberal Democratic Party (1996–present)
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 2004; div. 2017)​

​
​
(m. 2021)​
Alma materKobe University
Signature
WebsiteGovernment website

Sanae Takaichi (高市 早苗, Takaichi Sanae, born 7 March 1961) is a Japanese politician who has served as the Minister of State for Economic Security since August 2022. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, she has served in the House of Representatives since 2005, and had also served in several ministerial posts under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In 2021, she was a candidate in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election, but was ultimately eliminated in a run-off, placing third.[1]

Takaichi has been described as having a "political reputation as a staunch conservative".[2]

Early life

Born and raised in the city of Nara, Takaichi graduated from Unebi Senior High School, Kobe University, and the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management. In 1987, she moved to the United States to work for Democratic U.S. Representative Patricia Schroeder as a Congressional Fellow.[3] When she returned to Japan in 1989, she gained attention from the mass media as a legislative analyst with experience in the US Congress, and wrote books based on the experience. In 1992, she formed the Kansai Hi-Vision Consortium and presided as the first chairperson.

Political career

Takaichi was first elected to the House of Representatives in the 1993 Japanese general election.[4] She joined the "Liberals" study group of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), led by Koji Kakizawa, which became part of the New Frontier Party.

In 1996, Takaichi ran as sanctioned candidate from New Frontier Party and reelected to the House of Representatives (lower house). However New Frontier Party lost nationally. On November 5, she responded to recruitment from the Secretary-General of LDP Koichi Kato, and, then, joined the LDP. Her act of switching party, two months after winning the election with anti-LDP votes, resulted in heavy criticism from New Frontier Party members.

In the LDP, Takaichi belonged to the Mori Faction (formally, the Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyū-kai) and she served as a Parliamentary Vice Minister for the Ministry of International Trade and Industry under Keizō Obuchi cabinet.[4] She also served as chairman of Education and Science Committee.

In 2000, House of Representatives election she was placed in the first position in proportional representation ballot from LDP and easily won her third term. In 2002 she was appointed as the Senior Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry under Junichiro Koizumi.

In the 2003 Japanese general election, she was defeated in the Nara 1st district by Democratic Party lawmaker Sumio Mabuchi. She moved to the nearby city of Ikoma and won a seat representing the Nara 2nd district in the 2005 Japanese general election.[5] In 2004, while she was out of the Diet, she took an economics faculty position at Kinki University.[4]

Takaichi headed an LDP group that opposed legislation that would allow married couples to retain separate surnames after marriage, arguing that it would undermine Japan's traditional family system. As communications chief she "stirred controversy when she suggested TV broadcasters could have their license revoked if they air programs the government considers politically biased, a remark widely slammed as tantamount to the repression of free speech".[2]

She is affiliated with the ultranationalist organization Nippon Kaigi.[6]

First Abe government

Takaichi served as Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs, Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy, Minister of State for Innovation, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Gender Equality[7] and Minister of State for Food Safety in the Japanese Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzō Abe.[4] In August 2007, she was the only Abe cabinet member to join former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in visiting Yasukuni Shrine on the anniversary of the end of World War II.[8]

Second Abe government

After the LDP's victory in the 2012 Japanese general election, Takaichi was appointed to head the party's Policy Research Council. In January 2013, she recommended that Abe issue an "Abe Statement" to replace the Murayama Statement that apologized for the damage inflicted by Japan through its colonial rule.[9]

Takaichi was selected as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications to replace Yoshitaka Shindō on September 3, 2014. After she was named as cabinet minister, a photograph was published of her together with Kazunari Yamada, the leader of National Socialist Japanese Workers' Party – a small neo-Nazi party in Japan. She denied any link with Yamada and said she wouldn't have accepted the picture had she known Yamada's background.[10] She was also shown promoting a controversial book praising Adolf Hitler's electoral talents in 1994.[11]

Takaichi was among the three members of the cabinet to visit the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in 2014,[12] became the first sitting cabinet member to attend the shrine's autumn festival in 2016,[13] and was one of four cabinet ministers who visited Yasukuni on the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in August 2020.[14]

In the December 2014 general election, she won an overwhelming 96,000-vote majority in her district, defeating the runner-up by 58,000 votes.[15]

In February 2016, Takaichi commented that the government could suspend the operations of broadcasters that aired politically biased content.[16] The U.S. State Department later described this as "[giving] rise to concerns about increasing government pressure against critical and independent media."[17]

An electoral redistricting in 2017, which Takaichi oversaw as internal affairs minister, eliminated one of Nara Prefecture's districts and resulted in Takaichi again potentially facing off with her former rival Mabuchi.[5]

Takaichi was replaced by Seiko Noda on August 3, 2017, but returned to the Internal Affairs and Communications post on September 11, 2019, replacing Masatoshi Ishida. Among other initiatives, she put pressure on NHK to cut its viewing fees and reform its governance,[18] and oversaw the distribution of cash handouts during the COVID-19 pandemic.[19]

2021 LDP leadership election

Main article: 2021 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election

In August 2021, Takaichi expressed her willingness to challenge incumbent Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga for the presidency of the LDP in the scheduled election on September 29.[20] On September 3, Suga announced that he would not seek re-election; news media outlets reported the next day that former Prime Minister Abe had shifted his support to Takaichi.[21] Suga himself supported rival candidate Taro Kono.[22] She has been described as "a favorite of conservatives with hawkish views on defense and diplomacy".[2]

Political positions

Takaichi is a conservative. She has expressed social conservative views including opposition to same sex-marriage and dual surnames. She claims dual surnames would lead to divorce and affairs.[23] Tokyo Shimbun reporter Isoko Mochizuki claims Takaichi is “more like a middle-aged man wearing a woman’s mask,” in reference to Takaichi's remarks on issues that concern women. Novelist Kyoko Nakajima says Takaichi has unabashedly maintained the attitudes and policies of Japan's current “paternalistic society,” thus making her “an honorary man.”[24]

In regards to the economy she would continue Abenomics economic policies.[24]

With regards to foreign policy, Takaichi supports revising article 9 of the Japanese constitution which prohibits Japan from entering armed conflict. A China-hawk, she has been critical of Chinese economic practices such as intellectual property theft and has supported less economic dependence on China.

Takaichi often cites Margaret Thatcher as a role model.

Personal life

Takaichi married Taku Yamamoto, a fellow member of the House of Representatives, in 2004. They agreed to a divorce in July 2017, with Takaichi citing differing political views and aspirations as the reason for the divorce.[25] However, they rekindled their marriage in December 2021.[26]

References

  1. ^ Junko Ogura, Selina Wang and Helen Regan (29 September 2021). "Fumio Kishida expected to become Japan's next Prime Minister after ruling party vote". CNN. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  2. ^ a b c Osaki, Tomohiro. "Could Japan soon have a female leader? Sanae Takaichi emerges as a contender". The Japan Times. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  3. ^ "プロフィール | 高市早苗(たかいちさなえ)". www.sanae.gr.jp. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  4. ^ a b c d "The Cabinet: TAKAICHI Sanae". Retrieved 2020-09-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ a b Johnston, Eric (2017-05-21). "Redrawing of Nara's electoral map may force internal affairs chief into rematch with DP's Mabuchi". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  6. ^ "Abe's reshuffle promotes right-wingers", KoreaJoongangDaily.joins.com; accessed 18 June 2015.
  7. ^ Although the term "Youth Affairs" is used in its official English title, the original Japanese title shōshika (少子化) is more aptly translated as "diminishing birth rate issue".
  8. ^ "Japan's Abe skips visit to WWII shrine". thestar.com. 2007-08-16. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
  9. ^ Martin, Alexander (2013-01-09). "Official Urges Abe to Review War Apologies". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  10. ^ "Neo-Nazi photos pose headache for Shinzo Abe" (The Guardian – 9 Sept. 2014)
  11. ^ "Japan: Adolf Hitler Book Haunts Interior Minister Sanae Takaichi" (Umberto Bacchi, International Business Times, 11 September 2014)
  12. ^ "3 Japan Cabinet ministers visit controversial Yasukuni Shrine a day after PM Abe's offering", Straitstimes.com, 18 October 2014.
  13. ^ "Abe aide prays for world peace during visit to war-linked Yasukuni Shrine". The Japan Times. 2016-10-19. Retrieved 2020-09-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "EDITORIAL: Ministerial visits to Yasukuni cast doubts on Abe's views on history". The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  15. ^ Johnston, Eric (2014-12-21). "In no-surprise poll, parties' main players re-elected in Kinki". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  16. ^ Osaki, Tomohiro (2016-02-09). "Sanae Takaichi warns that government can shut down broadcasters it feels are biased". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  17. ^ https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Japan-1.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  18. ^ "Communications ministry asks NHK to cut viewing fees further". The Japan Times. 2020-02-06. Retrieved 2020-09-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "Japan kicks off application process for ¥100,000 virus-relief handouts". The Japan Times. 2020-05-01. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  20. ^ "LDP's Takaichi seeks Japan's possession of 'national defense forces'". Mainichi Daily News. 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
  21. ^ "Ex-PM Abe supports conservative ally Takaichi as Suga's successor". Kyodo News+. 2021-09-04. Retrieved 2021-09-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ Sim, Walter (2021-09-04). "Suga backs Kono, Abe picks Takaichi: Battle lines drawn in fight for Japan's top job". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2021-09-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ Rich, Motoko; Inoue, Makiko; Hida, Hikari (2021-09-20). "A Hard-Line Conservative Hopes to Be Japan's First Female Leader". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  24. ^ a b Brasor, Philip (2021-09-25). "Sanae Takaichi asserts her independence with the media". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
  25. ^ "高市総務相「仮面夫婦」だった自民党の山本拓衆院議員と離婚 〈週刊朝日〉". AERA dot. (アエラドット) (in Japanese). 2017-07-19. Retrieved 2020-09-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ^ 「週刊文春」編集部. "高市早苗政調会長の再婚 夫の山本拓・前衆院議員が「高市姓」に". 文春オンライン. Retrieved 2022-08-07.
House of Representatives (Japan)
Preceded by Member of the House of Representatives
for Nara 2nd district
2005–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs
2006–2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy
2006–2007
Minister of State for Food Safety
2006–2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of State for Gender Equality and Social Affairs
2006–2007 		Succeeded by
New office Minister of State for Innovation
2006–2007 		Position abolished
Preceded by Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications
2014–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications
2019–2020 		Succeeded by
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