Activists and scholars have expressed concern that she will continue to support policies that have held Japanese women back.

The yen held steady on Tuesday, ahead of a parliament vote in Japan later in the day that is almost certain to see hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi become the country's first female prime ministe...

LDP chief Sanae Takaichi and Hirofumi Yoshimura, head of the smaller, right-leaning party known as Ishin, spoke via phone on Monday morning and effectively reached an agreement, NHK said.