Quote:But Takaichi’s victory is not necessarily a victory for women in general, critics say, especially after she secured it by forming an alliance with an Osaka-based party that will pull her coalition even further to the right.

“One would like to say this is a historic moment in Japan,” Jeff Kingston, a professor of Asian studies and history at Temple University’s Japan campus, told NBC News. “But it’s really hard to make that case, given her rather poor track record on empowering women.”