The Yomiuri Shimbun/AP/File Japan’s first female prime minister, Takaichi Sanae, attends a news conference in Tokyo, Dec. 17, 2025. A former rock band drummer, Ms. Takaichi still picks up the sticks – and recently held a jam session with South Korea’s president. Yet her family’s modest circumstances and traditional views on raising a daughter presented challenges for a young Ms. Takaichi. Later, Ms. Takaichi praised Ms. Schroeder’s scrappiness and all it taught her about democratic campaigning. Within days, Ms. Takaichi became Japan’s prime minister, buoyed by her reputation as a star protégé of Mr. Abe.