For most of her life, Sanae Takaichi has loved heavy metal. As Japan’s first female leader, she has many reasons to reach for her sticks

Ms Takaichi, an ultra-conservative who on Tuesday became Japan’s first female prime minister, had promised to model her government’s gender balance on countries such as Iceland and Finland, where women make up roughly half of all cabinet members.

Japan's Nikkei share gauge extended its record-breaking rally on Tuesday as fiscal dove Sanae Takaichi cleared a parliamentary vote to become the nation's next prime minister. The Nikkei 225 Index was last up 0.

Sanae Takaichi, a fan of Iron Maiden, had an improbable rise to power. Like her mentor, Shinzo Abe, she is expected to lead Japan to the right.

Few would have predicted that Japan would beat its longtime ally the United States in the race to elect the first female leader. But the country’s soon-to-be 104th Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, faces a tough task ahead,

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday congratulated Sanae Takaichi on her election as Japan's new prime minister and said he hopes to meet her at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held in South Korea next week.