Vol. VI / No. 8 | December 2025
Authors:
Chaula Rininta Anindya
Lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia, focusing on Strategic Studies. The views expressed are her own
Summary
Japan has elected its very first Female Prime Minister, Takaichi Sanae. Takaichi went through a great deal in securing the prime minister’s seat. She finally won the ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)’s presidential position after her third bid. Following her victory in the LDP’s presidential election, she witnessed the collapse of the 26-year coalition between LDP and Komeito (Kamata, 2025). She almost failed to secure the necessary number of votes to become the prime minister. Yet, the last-minute deal with Nippon Ishin no Kai revived her chance (The Japan Times, 2025). What will be the future of Japan under Takaichi’s leadership? This commentary will focus on the prospect of Indonesia-Japan relations under PM Takaichi. The article will firstly discuss the background of PM Takaichi. Then, it will analyse the plausible regional dynamics by identifying Takaichi’s prior actions before the election. Lastly, this commentary will examine the future of Indonesia-Japan relations, emphasising two issues: Takaichi’s ambition on Japan’s regional defence posture and the growing sentiment of foreigners in Japan.
Keywords: Japan, Indonesia, Takaichi Sanae, Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), Immigration Policy