Sanae Takaichi is set to break a historic barrier as Japan’s first female prime minister after being chosen to lead the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The 64-year-old’s rise marks a landmark moment in a country that consistently ranks near the bottom on global gender equality indexes. She also opposes same-sex marriage, reforms to allow female succession in the imperial family, and proposals permitting married couples to keep separate surnames. She is known to admire former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and has long championed the conservative vision of the late Shinzo Abe. In her youth, she was a heavy-metal drummer and motorcycle enthusiast, passions that set her apart in Japan’s political circles.