TOKYO: In a country that ranks poorly internationally for gender equality, the new president of Japan's long-governing Liberal Democrats, and likely next prime minister, is an ultra-conservative star of a male-dominated party that critics call an obstacle to women's advancement.

Sanae Takaichi, 64, admires former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and is a proponent of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's conservative vision for Japan.

Takaichi is the first female president of Japan's predominantly male ruling party that has dominated Japan's postwar politics almost without interruption.

She hardly touched on gender issues during the campaign, but on Saturday (Oct 4), as she tried out the party president's chair and posed for a photo as is customary for the newly elected leader, Takaichi said: ”Now that the LDP has its first female president, its scenery will change a little."

First elected to parliament from her hometown of Nara in 1993, she has served in key party and government posts, including minister of economic security, internal affairs and gender equality.

Female lawmakers in the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) who were given limited ministerial posts have often been shunned as soon as they spoke up about diversity and gender equality. Takaichi has stuck with old-fashioned views favoured by male party heavyweights.

Takaichi also admits she is a workaholic who would rather study at home instead of socialising. After unsuccessfully running for party presidency twice in the past, she made efforts to be more sociable to build connections as advised, she said.

But on Saturday, as she called for an all-out effort to rebuild the party and regai...