She’s made history twice – first by being elected as Japan’s first female prime minister and then by cementing her power in a landslide snap election. But how will Sanae Takaichi use that power? What challenges does she face?
Through the unexpected trajectory of Sanae Takaichi, the film portrays a Japan in the midst of profound change. Coming from a modest and conservative background, long kept at a distance from the circles of power, she gradually asserts herself in a male-dominated political world, until becoming the most powerful woman in the country.
Her rise sheds light on the contradictions of contemporary Japan: the weight of tradition, the place of women, political conservatism, scandals at the heart of power, and the return of militarism. A protege of late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, she is known as Japan’s Iron Lady, and unapologetically models herself on Margaret Thatcher.
Her victory invariably means Japan will continue drifting towards the right. She is known to favor a strong military. But she faces many challenges, including a cost of living crisis and security threats from China and North Korea, all while her party is still recovering from a major corruption scandal.
From temples where former yakuza seek repentance to the beaches of Okinawa and the inner workings of power in Tokyo, the film draws the portrait of a leader who is as fascinating as she is troubling, and questions the price of her ascent.