Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Ever since taking office as Japan's first female prime minister last October, Sanae Takaichi has enjoyed an unprecedented level of personal popularity, in part due to her political agenda, but also because of her relatability thanks to certain displays of what seem like more down-to-earth traits compared to her predecessors.

But what is she really like after the cameras have been turned off? What is her day like? What kind of songs and fashion does she like?

To answer this question, Nikkei Asia sat down with Rieko Miki, a member of the political news department on the Japanese-side of Nikkei, covering Takaichi day in and day out.

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