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To numerous female youth in Japan today, the sight of Sanae Takaichi taking the helm as the nation's inaugural female prime minister is powerful and formative.

It means a patriarchal society and a political system that has long been dominated by men is now led by a female.

However, although the appearances speak of a progressive moment, certain females do not view her as an champion of progress.

It was rather fascinating to observe how people beyond Japan's borders have responded to the announcement,” a 21-year-old states.

People are saying, ‘wow, she's the inaugural woman prime minister in the nation's past and that would be a significant chance for female advancement and equal rights in Japan’.

“I think that's a rather simplistic interpretation.”

Instead, Ms Ogura highlights her “political beliefs and what she stands for,” noting: “She reinforces the patriarchal system.”

A strong admirer of Britain's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi has always wanted to be the “Steel Magnolia” of her nation.

Similar to Thatcher, Takaichi is a staunch right-wing politician.

Analysts note her leadership is a strategic decision from the governing LDP to appeal to the increasingly right-leaning base which had recently gravitated towards Japan's more extreme conservative groups.

Takaichi opposes same-sex marriage and has long stood against laws that would allow married couples to have different last names, preventing many females from retaining their birth surnames.

Additionally, she is against females being in eligible for the throne in the imperial family.

However, she moderated certain her statements during her campaign – saying she supports giving financial benefits to businesses that offer childcare facilities to their staff and spoke of potential deductions for families investing in childcare.

Yet she has historically supported the notion of a conventional role for women in the community and in the home.

Regarding women's issues, Takaichi is consistent with her nation's less than impressive performance on equality concerns.

The Country's Gender Gap in Perspective

Women in Japan are among the best educated and most skilled in the world and yet they face challenges with the demands of a conservative society that still pushes them into traditional roles.

Based on the latest equality ranking by the global organization, Japan placed 118th out of among 148 countries, with female representation in the political arena particularly minimal.

Top roles have historically been held by males and Japan has struggled to increase the number of female lawmakers and corporate executives.

The globally fourth biggest economy ranks at the bottom among the G7 countries when it comes to the share of females in its legislative body. In detail, women constitute about 15.7% of lawmakers in Japan, the smallest proportion among the seven major economies.

Progress is also sluggish when it comes to women's reproductive health: only this week was it announced that the “emergency” pill – a type of post-coital birth control sold over the counter in over ninety countries – had at last been authorized for non-prescription sales in Japan.

Mixed Responses to the Landmark Appointment

Nonetheless, certain individuals view Takaichi's rise to power as a critical juncture that could change how females perceive their opportunities.

“It is highly meaningful in Ms Takaichi becoming prime minister, with a broader impact on the public,” Naomi Koshi – who became the country's most youthful woman mayor in 2012 – informed local media.

Koshi argued Japan electing a woman prime minister will “lower psychological barriers” for women and girls, helping them feel it is acceptable to “stand out” as leaders in businesses and the community, despite biased expectations and expectations still persist.

But Audrey Hill-Uekawa notes that, while it is remarkable Japan has its first female prime minister, it is important to recall it required her over three decades to get to that office.

“Additionally, she is not really challenging the grain. She expresses the same thing as the men.”

The young woman adds that she shouldn't be put on a pedestal simply because she is a female.

“It is essential to ensure we're discussing her agenda. We need to be capable of evaluate her equally as everyone else.”

Ideological Background and Associations

It is not just what Takaichi has stated which has caused individuals to describe her as a defender of the male-dominated system.

It's also apparent by who her supporters inside the party have were.

She's the protégé of the late ex- hawkish prime minister Shinzo Abe, and was endorsed in the party vote by Taro Aso – a prominent member in the LDP at the leadership of one of the government's most influential conservative blocs.

His faction's support for Sanae Takaichi was crucial in uniting the conservative wing behind her.

“I do feel that it is challenging for females to sort of relate to her success because it promotes this notion that we have to be compliant with the existing system,” young adult Minori Konishi remarks.

Ms Ogura concurs, stating that with her as a symbol for women in politics, “the public are likely to anticipate the identical from us as well”.

“They're going to expect us to be conforming, not oppose the ideals that they have, and it might make our role more difficult.”

Future Challenges and Expectations

Achieving this milestone, however, was only the initial of the challenges Takaichi will face – not least tackling a slow growth and inflation and regaining the confidence of a frustrated and angry electorate, as in addition to welcoming the US leader within days of taking power.

It's safe to say that few anticipate women's rights matters to be a top priority on her priority list.