Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged more than 4% to an all-time high on Monday as investors reacted positively to the appointment of Sanae Takaichi as the new leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Takaichi’s victory on Saturday paves the way for her to become Japan’s first female prime minister, a historic shift that has energised market sentiment.
Meanwhile, the Japanese yen depreciated sharply, falling 1.45% to 149.59 per dollar. In the fixed-income market, yields on Japan’s 30-year government bonds climbed over 10 basis points to 3.263%, reflecting expectations of potential policy changes. The 20-year bond yield also strengthened, rising more than six basis points to 2.674%. The benchmark 10-year yield, however, remained largely stable, hovering at approximately 1.659%.
The rally in Japanese equities and movement in bond yields underscores the significant impact of domestic political developments for investors, as noted by various market sources.
Sanae Takaichi has been elected to lead Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), setting the stage for her historic appointment as the country’s first female prime minister. Takaichi garnered 185 votes in a decisive run-off against Shinjiro Koizumi, Japan’s current agriculture minister, following an initial round in which none of the five contenders achieved a majority, according to local media reports.
Takaichi is now set to take over as head of the LDP from Shigeru Ishiba, who resigned unexpectedly in September after the coalition led by the party suffered losses in both legislative chambers. Barring opposition, Takaichi’s appointment as prime minister is expected to be formalized during a parliamentary session anticipated around October 15.
Known for her conservative values, Takaichi stands out as more fiscally liberal than her predecessors, with pledges that include inflation relief for households and proposals for tax reductions. However, she has yet to provide concrete plans for funding these policies, amid increased caution among bond investors.
On the monetary policy front, Takaichi has voiced opposition to the recent interest rate increases by the Bank of Japan, a stance that could prompt the central bank to reconsider any immediate further hikes.
