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To numerous female youth in Japan currently, the sight of Sanae Takaichi taking the helm as the nation's first ever woman prime minister is powerful and influential.

It means a patriarchal society and a political system that has historically been controlled by men is currently headed by a female.

However, although the optics suggest a forward-thinking era, certain females do not view her as an champion of progress.

“It was quite fascinating to observe how people beyond Japan's borders have responded to the announcement,” Ayda Ogura says.

People are saying, ‘wow, she's the inaugural woman prime minister in Japanese history and that would be a great opportunity for women empowerment and equal rights in Japan’.

“I think that's a rather simplistic interpretation.”

Conversely, the young woman points to her “ideological stance and what she stands for,” noting: “She perpetuates the patriarchal system.”

A big fan of Margaret Thatcher, Sanae Takaichi has always wanted to be the “Iron Lady” of her nation.

Similar to Thatcher, Takaichi is a staunch conservative.

Observers say her ascension is a strategic decision from the governing LDP to attract the more conservative base which had recently gravitated towards Japan's more extreme conservative groups.

Takaichi opposes marriage equality and has consistently voted against laws that would permit spouses to have different last names, preventing many females from keeping their maiden names.

She's also opposed to women being in line for succession in the imperial family.

Nonetheless, she did soften certain her messaging during her campaign – stating she supports giving tax incentives to companies that offer childcare facilities to their employees and spoke of possible tax breaks for households investing in childcare.

Yet she has historically supported the notion of a more traditional role for females in the community and in the home.

Regarding gender matters, Takaichi is aligned with her nation's subpar performance on gender issues.

The Country's Gender Gap in Context

Women in Japan are some of the most highly educated and highest qualified in the globe and yet they struggle with the demands of a traditional culture that still pushes them into conventional positions.

Based on the latest gender gap index by the World Economic Forum, Japan placed 118th among nearly 150 nations, with women's presence in the political arena notably low.

Leadership positions have historically been held by men and Japan has struggled to boost the number of women legislators and corporate executives.

The world's fourth largest economic power places at the bottom among the Group of Seven nations when it comes to the share of females in its national parliament. Specifically, females make up about less than 16% of legislators in Japan, the smallest proportion among the G7.

Progress is also sluggish when it comes to women's reproductive health: only this week was it announced that the “emergency” pill – a type of emergency contraception available without prescription in over ninety nations – had finally been approved for over the counter use in Japan.

Differing Responses to the Historic Leadership

Nonetheless, certain individuals view Takaichi's ascent as a pivotal moment that could alter how women view their prospects.

“It is highly meaningful in the new prime minister assuming the role of prime minister, with a broader impact on the public,” a former mayor – who became the nation's youngest female mayor in 2012 – informed Japan's Kyodo news agency.

Koshi argued Japan having a female prime minister will “reduce mental obstacles” for women and girls, enabling them to believe it is normal to “excel” as authorities in businesses and the community, even as biased expectations and expectations still remain.

But a 20-year-old points out that, while it is remarkable Japan has its first female leader, it is important to recall it required her more than 30 years to get to that position.

“She's also not really challenging the norm. She expresses the same thing as the men.”

The young woman adds that she shouldn't be put on a platform simply because she is a female.

“It is essential to ensure we're talking about her agenda. We need to be capable of evaluate her fairly as everyone else.”

Political Context and Associations

It is not just what Takaichi has said which has caused individuals to describe her as a supporter of the male-dominated system.

Additionally, it is apparent by who her supporters within the LDP have were.

She's the protégé of the late ex- hawkish prime minister a previous leader, and was endorsed in the party vote by Taro Aso – a prominent member in the ruling party at the leadership of one of the ruling party's most powerful conservative blocs.

Their group's backing for Sanae Takaichi was pivotal in uniting the party's right wing in her favor.

“I believe that it is difficult for females to sort of relate to her success because it furthers this notion that we have to be obedient with the status quo,” 21-year-old Minori Konishi says.

The 21-year-old concurs, stating that with her as a figurehead for females in government, “people are likely to anticipate the identical from women as too”.

“They're going to expect us to be compliant, not go against the ideals that they have, and it could render our job harder.”

Upcoming Obstacles and Expectations

Making history, however, was just the first of the difficulties Takaichi will face – not least tackling a slow growth and inflation and winning back the confidence of a discontented and angry electorate, as well as welcoming president Trump within a short time of taking power.

It's safe to say that no-one expects women's rights matters to be high on her priority list.