Takaichi unveils her leadership team, but ongoing coalition talks with Kōmeitō cast a shadow over her pending premiership

Veteran Japan watcher worried about what comes after the 'most boring election'

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party chief Sanae Takaichi has finalised a plan to appoint former party secretary general Toshimitsu Motegi as foreign minister following her appointment as prime minister, Asahi newspaper reported on Monday.

Japanese shares are expected to keep setting records even as the nation's currency and bonds sputter after fiscal dove Sanae Takaichi was elected on Saturday to lead the ruling party and likely become prime minister.

In her campaign to become Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi made a bold promise to narrow the country's wide gender gap in politics and lift the number of women in cabinet to a par with socially progressive Nordic countries.

Takaichi Sanae makes her pitch

Sanae Takaichi came out top in a male-dominated race to lead Japan's ruling party on Saturday, putting her on course to emulate her hero, former British leader Margaret Thatcher, and become her country's first female prime minister.

Whoever succeeds Ishiba will inherit a party in crisis.

Japan stands a good chance of having its first woman prime minister or its youngest leader in the modern era after a vote on Saturday to pick the head of the nation’s ruling party.

The Amazon city of Belem will take center stage in Brazil, the world’s most biodiverse country, when it hosts the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/love-motels-converted-ferries-brazil-gets-creative-host-cop30-2025-03-28/" target="_self" rel="" title="https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/love-motels-converted-ferries-brazil-gets-creative-host-cop30-2025-03-28/">COP30</a> global climate summit in November. But visitors who descend on São Paulo, the business heart of Brazil, ahead of the summit may be surprised by its treeless landscapes and polluted rivers.

Japan's far-right Sanseito party has set up an international arm to court Trump allies such as Steve Bannon and like-minded groups in Europe, betting that global conservative recognition will help it shake up staid Japanese politics, according to four party officials.

Japanese farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi, a top contender to become the next premier, downplayed criticism on Friday over his ministry's handling of a licensing deal for a prized grape variety that sparked an official protest from producers.

Two 18-year-olds were arrested after one entered the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity as people gathered to observe Rosh Hashanah, officials said.

In memo, the Trump administration says the Reduction-in-Force plans would go beyond standard shutdown furloughs.