Staunch conservative Sanae Takaichi was elected Japan’s first female prime minister by parliament on Tuesday, in a landmark moment for the historically patriarchal country where both politics and workplaces are dominated by older men.

Takaichi steps into the role as Japan faces mounting economic woes and a fractured politics, and just days before Donald Trump is scheduled to visit.

The 64-year old Takaichi, who is a heavy metal drummer and motorcycle enthusiast, grew up in Nara near Osaka. Her arrival at the pinnacle of Japanese politics tops a remarkable rise, from TV presenter to flag bearer of traditional and nationalist ideals.

  • Bronzebeard@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    53
    ·
    edit-2
    14 hours ago

    Aging populations that grew up in an age where the news media could be trusted to hold politicians accountable, are now inundated with billionaire approved lies as fewer and fewer people obtain control over more of the world’s wealth.

    • atmorous@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      7 hours ago

      In other words they are not tech savvy and don’t try/know how to get better sources of news/information

    • IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      arrow-down
      13
      ·
      16 hours ago

      There’s also the situation where for a lot of millennials and younger, western society has been moving leftword for their entire adult lives. When economic issues inevitably show up, the instinct is to blame the group that was seen as in charge, and move yourself in the opposite direction.

      • phdepressed@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        11 hours ago

        See tax cuts, corporate capture of regulation, etc. I don’t know anyone who believes that western society has been moving to the left. Maybe lgbtq acceptance had improved and Obama got a modicum of Healthcare but on the whole the US has been moving right since Reagan and there’s similar for most western nations.

      • grte@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        12 hours ago

        western society has been moving leftword for their entire adult lives.

        …Where?