Descriptive and substantive representation: the case of Japan’s first female prime minister

The election of Sanae Takaichi as Japan’s first female prime minister in October 2025, coupled with the Liberal Democratic Party’s historic supermajority in the February 2026 lower house election, invites examination of what women’s political leadership actually means for gender equality. We provide an overview of the key gender-related issues surrounding Takaichi’s rise to power and the broader legislative landscape, arguing that her impressive political triumphs underscore a tension long recognized by political scientists: descriptive representation (i.e., who holds office) does not necessarily improve substantive representation (i.e., whose interests are advanced through policy). Takaichi’s time as prime minister, we argue, can be understood as a test case for the limits of descriptive representation, as voters appear to substitute descriptive and symbolic satisfaction with demands for substantive representation.