The other day, Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party elected Sanae Takaichi as its new leader. Now the Japanese Diet is expected to confirm her as the country’s next Prime Minister. Will the ascendance of Takaichi on Japan’s political scene affect Japan’s growing ties with India?
Observers say the change of guard in Tokyo is highly unlikely to affect India-Japan bonhomie. The bonhomie between the two nations is rather set to grow further. Apparently, all may not appear well with Takaichi today. In her bid to form a new government in Tokyo, she needs to secure the support of at least one opposition party in her Parliament. The LDP’s traditional coalition junior partner Komeito’s leader Tetsuo Saito seems to be ambiguous in his support to her. But it can be hoped that Takaichi would be able to manage through such hindrances. She has the support of former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso in the LDP. Aso is now the LDP’s vice president. He has been one of Takaichi’s key backers in her recent elevation to the party presidency. Aso’s brother-in-law Shunichi Suzuki, the son of former Japanese Prime Minister Zenko Suzuki, is the secretary-general of the party. Aso and Suzuki are said to be effectively lobbying for the political support Takachai needs to form the next government in Japan.
The observers say Takaichi is now a seasoned politician in Japan. She is fully conversant with the tricks of politics and governance. She has had considerable experiences. She joined the LDP in 1996. Since then, she has been elected an MP ten times. She has held senior government roles, including of the minister for economic security, the state minister for trade and industry and the minister for internal affairs and communications. In 2014, the legendary Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had appointed her Internal Affairs and Communications minister.
Importantly, Takaichi has consistently been a camp follower of Prime Minister Abe. Like Abe, she is in favor of revising Japan’s pacifist constitution, especially Article 9, which renounces Japan’s right to wage war. She has called for easing constitutional restrictions on the country’s Self-Defence Forces. Like Abe, Takaichi is aware of the importance of India in the political calculus or Japan today. Like Abe, Takaichi has been highly appreciative of India’s potential role in the Indo-Pacific.
Reports are Takaichi already has a fine equation with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the past, the two leaders met and discussed a range of issues, including digital economy, smart city projects and cyber-security. This process is sure to take off after Takaichi formally takes over the office of Japan’s Prime Minister. Japan’s foreign direct investment in India is likely to scale beyond automotive and electronics.
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