On Tuesday, Japan’s Parliament elected Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first-ever female prime minister. A staunch conservative from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and a protégé of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi has championed traditional gender roles, stricter immigration controls, and a hardline stance on China, while emphasizing the importance of Japan’s alliance with the United States. She has previously stated that she admires former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and seeks to follow in her footsteps.