By Shahrokh Saei 

From Abe to Takaichi: A historic milestone, a familiar path

TEHRAN – Sanae Takaichi’s election as Japan’s first female prime minister on October 21 was a landmark moment in a country long dominated by male political leadership. But while her rise broke a gender barrier, her governance so far reflects continuity more than change. Takaichi is not a political outsider—she’s a veteran of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and a protégé of the late Shinzo Abe, whose nationalist and conservative legacy continues to shape Japan’s direction.