What Sanae Takaichi’s popularity among women says about gender equality in Japan

Politicians don’t often find themselves on packages of cookies .

Nor do their bags tend to go viral, sparking a fashion craze .

But few politicians are quite like Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.

Since she took office in October, Takaichi has developed somewhat of a cult following, particularly among some younger voters and women.

They’ve sparked a phenomenon known as Sanakatsu (Sana-mania), consuming all things related to Takaichi.

Make no mistake: Takaichi is no progressive.

In fact, she has pushed conservative positions on issues many feminists have fought to change, such as allowing married couples to keep separate surnames and permitting women to inherit the imperial throne .

Takaichi has also built her political identity around relentless work.

In a recent social media post , she described surviving on very little sleep while reading cabinet papers, ironing handkerchiefs and sewing loose buttons.

Though her popularity has declined recently , many analysts have tried to explain her popularity and what it says about women and politics in Japan.

Some have observed young people and women support Takaichi not because she is a woman, but because they prioritise policies aimed at improving their financial lives over abstract questions of gender equality.

Others argue her gender is precisely the point: after decades of male leadership, many voters simply wanted to see a woman at the top.

As an anthropologist who has spent more than a decade researching Japanese women, however, I think these explanations tell only part of the story.

Japan’s gender inequality When I began my research into gender equality in Japan , I expected the women I met to readily share their views when asked.