Japan Makes It Official and Confirms Trumpian Female Prime Minister

She had been elected head of the party in power a couple of weeks ago, but it was only yesterday that the Diet voted to make it official.

Japan has elected its first female prime minister -- and she's a staunch conservative. Sanae Takaichi, 64, a former TV broadcaster and longtime lawmaker known for her admiration of Margaret Thatcher, won a historic vote Tuesday to lead both the nation and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, shattering a political ceiling that stood for more than seven decades. Takaichi captured 237 votes in Japan's 465-member lower house after her party secured a coalition agreement just one day earlier, cementing her position as leader of the country that has been governed by the LDP for nearly all of its postwar history.

Takaichi's victory marks a decisive turn for Japan's right, as her government prepares to push for higher defense spending, potential tax reductions, and a return to nuclear energy amid growing regional threats and economic stagnation. She has been unapologetic in her traditional views, supporting male-only imperial succession, opposing same-sex marriage, and rejecting proposals for married couples to use separate surnames -- positions that have made her a hero among Japan's nationalist base. "I have always believed in the strength of Japan's traditions and the need to defend them," she said during her campaign.

Her leadership is also expected to strengthen Tokyo's alliance with Washington. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump congratulated Takaichi for her victory in the LDP leadership race, calling it "tremendous news" and describing her as "a highly respected person of great wisdom and strength." Takaichi responded that she was "very pleased" by Trump's message and "hoping to work together to make our alliance even stronger and more prosperous." She has publicly pledged to honor an investment agreement made with the Trump administration, signaling stability in U.S.--Japan relations.

There's some good news in Bolivia too.

Bolivia's first conservative president-elect in 20 years, Rodrigo Paz, injected a sharp note of realism into his plans to tackle an economic crisis Monday, a day after his surprise electoral victory signaled the end of decades of leftist rule in the South American nation.

After years of government antipathy toward the U.S. under the Movement Toward Socialism party, Paz pledged to rebuild relations with Washington -- and attract foreign investment to a country long locked out of international markets.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that Paz's victory Sunday "marks a transformative opportunity for both nations" to work on investment, immigration, security and other matters.

...

In another sign of the dramatic regional shift, Paz held a video call with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize this month. After years of Bolivia aligning itself with Venezuela's increasingly repressive President Nicolás Maduro, Paz told Machado that his country was "here to join in the fight for Venezuela and for Latin American democracies.""

On the other hand, the coked-up communist president of Colombia is very, very mad that Trump is blowing up the narcoterrorists' drug boats and ">

He also spoke of the need for "cutting the head" off the "kings:" "Here, we cut off the heads of kings. A king cannot tell us what to do. "

President Trump has been highly critical of Petro, calling him "an illegal drug leader" in a post on Truth Social on Sunday. Trump went on to say in the post that the production of illegal drugs "has become the biggest business in Colombia, by far, and Petro does nothing to stop it." He called Petro "a low rated and very unpopular leader" and said that if Petro does not stop the drug routes to the U.S., "the United States will close them up for him, and it won't be done nicely."

On September 16, the U.S. military carried out a drone strike that destroyed a submarine reportedly carrying drugs in international waters off the coast of Colombia.

Last week, Petro stated on X that "U.S. government officials have committed murder and violated our sovereignty in territorial waters." He went on to say that the submarine was a fishing vessel in distress and demanded an explanation from the United States about the strike.

In response, Trump announced that he would end all U.S. funding to Colombia, cutting off hundreds of millions in economic, military, and humanitarian aid. Speaking to reporters, Trump went after Petro, calling him "a lunatic who's got a lot of problems. Mental problems."

posted by Ace at 02:20 PM

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