Sanae Takaichi is set to be Japan’s next leader. What will it mean for China?

Tensions between Beijing and Tokyo may escalate further with Sanae Takaichi poised to become Japan’s next leader, observers warn, citing her controversial positions on the Taiwan issue and Japanese wartime history.

Takaichi, a former internal affairs minister known for her conservative views, was chosen to lead Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Saturday in a run-off vote against more moderate candidate Shinjiro Koizumi.

The victory sets her up to be Japan’s fifth prime minister in five years and first female leader.

China’s foreign ministry described the election result as an internal matter for Japan, while calling on Tokyo to “honour its political commitments on major issues such as history and Taiwan and pursue a proactive and rational policy toward China”.

China-Japan ties have long been marked by tensions over territorial disputes, wartime grievances and complex alliance dynamics with the United States amid competing regional security interests.

Despite efforts over the past year to boost economic engagement and people-to-people exchanges, overall relations remain largely strained, particularly on the security front.