leader 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 woman. But while the optics speak of a progressive moment, some women don't see her as an advocate for change. "It was quite interesting to see how people outside Japan have reacted to the news." Ayda Ogura, 21, 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 gender equality in Japan'. "I think that's a very naive interpretation." Instead, Ms Ogura points to her "political beliefs and what she stands for", adding: "She perpetuates the patriarchal system."

A big fan of Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi has always wanted to be the "Iron Lady" of her country. And like Thatcher, Takaichi is a staunch conservative. Observers say her leadership is a tactical move from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to appeal to the more conservative base which had recently gravitated towards Japan's parties further to the right. Takaichi opposes same-sex marriage and has long stood against legislation that would allow married couples to have separate surnames, preventing many women from keeping their maiden names. She's also against women being in line for succession in the imperial family. However, she did soften some of her messaging during her campaign - saying she favours giving tax incentives to companies that provide childcare facilities to their employees and spoke of possible tax breaks for families spending on childcare. But she has over the years backed the idea of a more traditional role for women in society and in the family. (BBC)