Japan's First Female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Appoints Only Two Women to Her 19-Member Cabinet

Newly appointed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi included only two women in her 19-member cabinet on Tuesday, falling short of her earlier commitment to achieve "Nordic" levels of female representation in government. Among these appointments was Satsuki Katayama, making history as Japan's first female finance minister.

Takaichi, who has expressed admiration for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, made history herself by becoming Japan's first female prime minister earlier on Tuesday.

Last month, Takaichi had pledged that gender balance in her cabinet and the executive committee of her ruling party would rival those of Nordic nations.

Women remain significantly underrepresented in Japanese political and corporate leadership. The country ranked 118th among 148 nations in the World Economic Forum's 2025 Gender Gap Report, while Nordic countries Iceland, Finland, and Norway secured the top three positions.

The second female cabinet member appointed by Takaichi is Kimi Onoda, who will serve as economic security minister, announced new cabinet secretary Minoru Kihara.

Toshimitsu Motegi was appointed as foreign minister, recognized for successfully negotiating a trade agreement with the first Trump administration in the United States.

Shinjiro Koizumi, Takaichi's main competitor in the recent Liberal Democratic Party leadership contest, was named defense minister.

At 64, Takaichi has expressed intentions to raise awareness about women's health challenges and has spoken openly about her personal experience with menopause.

Despite these progressive health views, Takaichi maintains conservative social positions. She opposes changes to a 19th-century law that requires married couples to share the same surname and supports maintaining male-only succession in the imperial family.