Sanae Takaichi : Japan parliament expected to elect country's first female prime minister

Live Reporting

Edited by Ayeshea Perera and Joel Guinto with reporting from Shaimaa Khalil and Chika Nakayama from Tokyo and Mariko Oi, Suranjana Tewari, Yvette Tan and Ewe Koh from Singapore.

Who is Sanae Takaichi?published at 04:15 BST

Image source, Reuters

Born in Nara Prefecture in 1961, Takaichi’s father was an office worker and her mother a police officer. Politics was far removed from her upbringing.

Once an avid heavy metal drummer, she was famous for carrying many sticks because she would break them during intense drumming.

Her political inspiration came in the 1980s, during the height of US-Japan trade friction.

She won a parliamentary seat with the LDP in 1996. Since then, she has been elected as an MP 10 times, losing only once, and built a reputation as one of the party’s most outspoken conservative voices.

After two failed attempts, she was elected the LDP’s leader, which paved the way for Tuesday’s vote where she is widely expected to confirmed as prime minister.

Read more about Japan’s “Iron Lady” here.
Japan stocks hit fresh highspublished at 04:01 BST

Peter Hoskins
Business reporter, Singapore

Image source, Reuters

Japanese stocks have hit new record highs on expectations that Takaichi is set to be confirmed as the country’s new prime minister.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 share index jumped by about 1.5% to over 49,900.

Investors have welcomed her plans to to increase government spending, cut taxes and pressure the central bank to slow interest rate rises.

But some are concerned that higher spending and lower tax revenue will mean more government borrowing.
What we’re expecting todaypublished at 04:01 BST

Shaimaa Khalil
Tokyo correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Here’s what we’re expecting in the coming hours, with lawmakers in both the Upper and Lower Houses set to vote for a prime minister.

233 votes are needed for a majority in the 465-seat Lower house, while 124 votes make the majority in the 248-seat Upper
house.

The first round of voting begins at 13:30 local time (04:30 GMT).

If a candidate secures majorities in the first round, then they’re elected prime minister.

If they don’t, it goes to a run-off between the top two
candidates. The one with the most votes wins. The second round of voting is scheduled for 14:30 local time (05:30 GMT).

Once the parliament chooses its new prime minister, the new government will announce its cabinet members. They will then head to the imperial palace for an attestation ceremony and they
will have first cabinet meeting.

A press conference for the new prime minister is not expected until late tonight.
A historic day in Japanpublished at 03:58 BST

Good afternoon/morning from our newsrooms in Tokyo and Singapore. We are watching what is poised to be a historic vote in Japan, where lawmakers are expected to shortly elect the country’s first female prime minister.

Sanae Takaichi is set to become PM after her party, Japan’s ruling LDP, stitched up a late night deal with the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), bringing her to within two votes of the prime minister’s office.

We will be bringing you all the latest updates on the vote, the result and all the reactions – stay with us.