In September 2024, Sanae Takaichi announced his candidacy for the presidency of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP), with the catchphrase, “Make Japan the top of the world again. Takaichi has announced a policy of focusing on strengthening the nation’s power, with the aim of achieving Japan’s economic growth and improving its international standing. In her speech, she particularly emphasized six strengths: diplomatic power, defense power, economic power, technological power, information power, and human resources power, arguing that the interaction of these strengths will bring out Japan’s “underlying strength”.
Differences from Other Candidates: Traditional vs. Liberal
Several other candidates have put their names forward in this presidential race, each with a different policy approach. Mr. Takaichi takes a stance that respects traditional values and fully embraces the role of the state. For example, he is opposed to selective surnames and same-sex marriage, which is a major difference from liberal candidates who respect individual rights, such as Taro Kono and Shinjiro Koizumi.
This difference has been a factor in the split in support within the LDP. While Kono and Koizumi emphasize individual rights and freedoms, Koichi strongly supports traditional values and the role of the state. Emphasizing his position as the successor to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi promotes a strong nationalist approach, calling it his “mission as a politician to protect and defend the sovereignty and honor of the nation”.
Sanae Takaichi’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Takaichi’s strengths are her policy and advocacy skills, backed by years of political experience. She has served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications in the past and is currently serving as Minister of State for Economic and Security Affairs. This wealth of experience has given her a deep knowledge of policy and a strong presence in debates and discussions.
However, one weakness that has been pointed out is that she has lost the backing of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. While she was able to gain strong parliamentary votes during the period when she was supported by Mr. Abe, this base is now weakening. In addition, the question is how broadly she will be able to attract support for her stance of pushing traditional values to the forefront amidst a field of liberal candidates.
Reactions on the Internet: Pros and Cons
The Internet has been abuzz with mixed opinions about Takaichi’s run for president. While conservative voters have voiced their support for her strong nationalist stance, many progressive voters have been critical. Her catchphrase, “If there is sanae, there is no fear,” has become a hot topic on social networking sites, and while her supporters are hopeful that she will make Japan stronger, many are skeptical.
In particular, her opposition to selective surnames and same-sex marriage has been met with opposition from younger and urban voters. On the other hand, rural and older voters who support conservative values have shown some support for her policies. On the Internet, the conflict of opinion is marked between the segment of the population for whom the theme of “strengthening the nation” resonates and the liberal segment of the population that respects individual rights.
Make Japan great again
Sanae Takaichi’s candidacy for the LDP presidential election highlights two values: nationalism and individualism. While her vision of “bringing Japan to the top of the world once again” is appealing to her conservative supporters, she is having difficulty attracting support from the liberal camp.
The focus of this presidential election will be on how well she can attract the votes of lawmakers within the LDP. In addition, as can be seen from the reactions on the Internet, there is a great deal of controversy between those who support her traditional values and those who oppose them. It will be interesting to see how Koichi will overcome this debate and realize her vision.
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