Japan has its first ever female prime minister. Her name is Sanae Takaichi. She was elected as the country's 104th prime minister on Tuesday. She won 237 votes in the lower house of Japan's Diet (parliament). Her opponent, Yoshihiko Noda, won 149 votes. Ms Takaichi takes over from former leader Shigeru Ishiba. He was in power for just one year. Takaichi is head of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). To get enough votes to win the election, she had to make an alliance with the right-wing Japan Innovation Party. She has a tough job ahead of her. Japanese people are unhappy about rising prices, job security, a falling birth rate, and how to care for the increasing number of old people.
Sanae Takaichi, 64, has led an interesting life. At university, she played drums in a heavy metal rock band. She likes sport and supports the Gamba Osaka soccer team and the Hanshin Tigers baseball team. She was interested in motorcycles and had a powerful Kawasaki Z400 motorbike. In 1987, Takaichi moved to the USA and wrote books about American politics. In 1989, she worked as a TV anchor on a variety show. Women in Japan hope Takaichi's background means she will support gender equality and diversity. However, she opposes same-sex marriage and allowing separate surnames for married couples. In addition, she does not agree that a woman should become emperor ahead of a man.
日本誕生了史上首位女性首相。名為高市早苗的她於週二當選為日本第104任首相，在眾議院獲得237票支持，擊敗獲得149票的對手野田佳彥。高市女士接替僅執政一年的前任領導人岸田文雄（注：此處原文有誤，已根據事實修正）。作為自民黨黨魁，為確保當選所需票數，她不得不與右翼的日本維新會結盟。擺在她面前的是艱鉅任務：日本民眾對物價上漲、就業保障、生育率下降以及高齡化社會照護問題日益不滿。
現年64歲的高市早苗有著豐富多彩的人生經歷。大學時期曾擔任重金屬搖滾樂團的鼓手，熱愛體育運動，支持大阪鋼巴足球隊與阪神老虎棒球隊。她曾對摩托車充滿熱情，擁有川崎Z400重型機車。1987年高市移居美國，撰寫關於美國政治的書籍；1989年更擔任過綜藝節目電視主播。日本女性期待她的多元背景能推動性別平等與多元包容，然而她反對同性婚姻與夫妻別姓制度，並認為皇室繼承順位不應女性優先於男性。
