New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated Sanae Takaichi on becoming Japan’s first woman Prime Minister, calling the India-Japan partnership vital for peace and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific region.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Heartiest congratulations, Sanae Takaichi, on your election as the Prime Minister of Japan. I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Our deepening ties are vital for peace, stability, and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.”
World leaders, including UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also extended their wishes. “I extend my congratulations to Sanae Takaichi on becoming Prime Minister of Japan and wish her success in leading the country towards further progress and development,” he posted, adding that he looks forward to deepening the UAE-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Takaichi, 64, was elected Japan’s first female premier after winning 237 of 465 votes in the Lower House, defeating Yoshihiko Noda of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, according to Kyodo News.
In her victory speech, Takaichi pledged to “rebuild Japan” through collective effort and relentless work. “We can only rebuild by reuniting every generation and with everybody’s participation. Because there are only a few of us, I ask everybody to work; work like a horse,” she said, adding that she would “cast aside the idea of work-life balance” to serve the nation.
The new prime minister, a China hawk and conservative politician, now faces challenges including a sluggish economy, party scandals, and internal divisions within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)