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For many young girls in Japan today, the image of Sanae Takaichi assuming leadership as the country's inaugural woman leader is powerful and formative.

It means a patriarchal society and a government structure that has historically been controlled by men is currently headed by a woman.

But while the appearances speak of a forward-thinking era, some women do not view her as an advocate for change.

“It was quite interesting to see how people outside Japan have responded to the news,” a 21-year-old says.

“Everyone's like, ‘wow, she's the first female prime minister in Japanese history and that would be a great opportunity for women empowerment and equal rights in Japan’.

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

Conversely, the young woman points to her “ideological stance and what she stands for,” adding: “She reinforces the patriarchal system.”

A strong admirer of Margaret Thatcher, Sanae Takaichi has long aspired to be the “Steel Magnolia” of her country.

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

Analysts note her leadership is a tactical move from the ruling LDP to appeal to the more conservative supporters which had recently gravitated towards Japan's more extreme conservative groups.

The leader is against same-sex marriage and has long stood against legislation that would allow spouses to have different last names, blocking many females from retaining their maiden names.

Additionally, she is against females being in line for succession in the imperial family.

However, she moderated some of her statements during her campaign – stating she supports giving tax incentives to businesses that provide childcare facilities to their staff and mentioned potential tax breaks for households spending on child-rearing.

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

Regarding women's issues, Takaichi is aligned with her country's subpar performance on equality concerns.

The Country's Gender Gap in Context

Japanese women are some of the most highly educated and most skilled in the globe and yet they struggle with the demands of a conservative society that still pushes them into conventional positions.

According to the latest gender gap index by the World Economic Forum, Japan ranked 118th among 148 countries, with women's presence in the field of politics particularly minimal.

Leadership positions have traditionally been dominated by men and Japan has faced difficulties to increase the quantity of women legislators and corporate executives.

The globally fourth biggest economy ranks last among the Group of Seven nations when it comes to the percentage of females in its legislative body. Specifically, females make up about 15.7% of lawmakers in Japan, the lowest figure among the seven major economies.

Progress is also sluggish when it comes to female healthcare: recently was it announced that the “emergency” pill – a type of post-coital birth control sold over the counter in more than 90 countries – had at last been authorized for non-prescription sales in Japan.

Mixed Reactions to the Landmark Leadership

Even so, some see Takaichi's rise to power as a pivotal moment that could alter how females view their opportunities.

“There is great significance in Ms Takaichi becoming prime minister, with a broader impact on society,” a former mayor – who was elected as the nation's most youthful woman city leader in 2012 – told local media.

She contended Japan electing a woman prime minister will “reduce psychological barriers” for women and girls, enabling them to believe it is acceptable to “excel” as authorities in businesses and the community, even as biased expectations and norms still remain.

However a 20-year-old points out that, while it is notable Japan has its first female prime minister, one must remember it took her more than 30 years to reach that office.

“Additionally, she is not really challenging the norm. She expresses the identical views as the male politicians.”

Ms Hill-Uekawa further states that she shouldn't be put on a pedestal just due to the fact she is a female.

“We need to make sure we're discussing her policies. We need to be capable of criticise her equally as everyone else.”

Ideological Background and Associations

It is not only what Takaichi has stated which has led people to label her as a supporter of the male-dominated system.

Additionally, it is apparent by which individuals her champions inside the party have were.

She was mentored of the deceased ex- hawkish prime minister a previous leader, and was backed in the leadership election by a senior politician – a senior figure in the ruling party at the head of one of the government's most influential conservative blocs.

Their group's support for Sanae Takaichi was crucial in consolidating the conservative wing behind her.

“I believe that it is challenging for women to somewhat identify with her success because it promotes this notion that we must be obedient with the existing system,” young adult Minori Konishi remarks.

The 21-year-old concurs, saying that with her as a figurehead for women in politics, “people are going to expect the same from us as well”.

“They will demand us to be compliant, not oppose the beliefs that they have, and it could render our job harder.”

Upcoming Challenges and Anticipations

Making history, however, was just the first of the difficulties Takaichi will encounter – including tackling a slow growth and inflation and winning back the trust of a frustrated and irate voting public, as in addition to hosting president Trump within a short time of assuming office.

One can reasonably assume that few anticipate women's rights matters to be a top priority on her priority list.