Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has already turned heads just one and a half months into her tenure 🚀 Drawing from her right wing roots, she rose to both LDP presidency and premiership on a fast-track far-right agenda.
Her hawkish statements and calls for a bigger military footprint have sparked uproar at home. Big names like former prime ministers Yukio Hatoyama and Ishiba Shigeru, plus Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima, are raising red flags. Even within her own party some warn that this path could clash with Japan’s pacifist constitution.
On November 7 she made waves with bold remarks on Taiwan, provoking strong protest from the Chinese mainland 🌏 Critics say her stance may rock the postwar order that helped Japan grow from scratch in the 1960s to a global economic powerhouse.
Historically, Japan has been an economic giant but a political dwarf, focusing on small government, low military spending and high growth. This formula fuelled the miracle boom from the 60s to the 80s. But now, some ask whether expanding Japan’s military role is the right move, or a risky reboot of a system that worked well.
For young techies and socially conscious pros in South Asia and Southeast Asia, this shift feels like upgrading your life app without a clear user guide 🤔 Will a more assertive Japan shake regional stability, or can it offer fresh security partnerships? Keep your eyes on Tokyo as Takaichi charts a course that could rewrite Asia’s future by 2025 and beyond.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
