Rock and rule: Japan's first female PM

日本首位女首相

The Intelligence from The Economist

2025-10-21

22 分钟
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Takaichi Sanae, Japan's new prime minister, rode motorbikes and plays heavy-metal drums. Will her political ambitions be as bold? America, a nation of immigrants, is turning against new arrivals. Our correspondent explains the consequences. And a fast-growing chain of coffee shops creates a stir in Germany. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+
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  • The Economist.

  • Hello, and welcome to the intelligence from The Economist.

  • I'm your host, Rosie Blau.

  • Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

  • America is known as a land of immigrants, but you may have heard that Donald Trump isn't so keen on them.

  • His zero-migration policy has been remarkably effective in stemming the inwards flow.

  • Question is, what impact will that have?

  • And Germany has its fair share of traditional coffee houses,

  • but a fast-growing chain of coffee shops is stirring things up.

  • Life Among People has stark interiors and offers super quick service.

  • Crucially, it's also really cheap.

  • But first, Takaichi Sanae, a conservative hardliner,

  • has become Japan's 104th Prime Minister, and the first woman to hold the job.

  • Noah Snyder is our East Asia Bureau Chief.

  • She was elected as the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party earlier this month,

  • and after a few weeks of political wrangling, she emerged in the Diet as the country's new leader today.

  • Her confirmation marks a historic step forward for gender equality in one of the world's most patriarchal democracies.

  • But Takaichi, a security hawk, a fiscal dove,

  • and an arch social conservative, promises to shift Japan's political center of gravity to the right.

  • She sounds like a slightly surprising choice for Prime Minister.