2025年9月7日，日本政壇再次陷入劇烈震盪。首相石破茂突然宣布辭職，這一舉動不僅讓自民黨總裁選舉提前登場，也讓日本政局瞬間進入不確定的狀態。在這場新一輪的角力中，現年六十三歲的高市早苗脫穎而出，以26.7%的支持率位居各潛在人選之首，成為最有可能接任自民黨總裁，並進而出任日本首相的人選。如果最終成功，她將創下日本歷史上首位女性首相的紀錄，為這個長期由男性主導的國家政治舞台，帶來前所未有的象徵性突破。

然而，與外界對女性領袖的期待形成鮮明對比的是，高市早苗的爭議性背景與言行，始終伴隨著她的政治生涯。她被認為是安倍晉三的政治追隨者，持有強烈的保守右派立場，因此常被媒體稱為「女版安倍」。在歷史問題上，她多次發表強硬言論，不僅公開否認日本在二戰中發動的侵略行為，還對南京大屠殺與慰安婦問題的真實性提出質疑。她也堅決反對對靖國神社進行改革，持續親自前往參拜，並批評外國干涉日本的歷史教育與教科書編寫。她甚至曾直言不諱地表達過「必要時日本不排除與中國爆發熱戰」的立場，使得她在外交與安全政策上被視為強硬且危險的政治人物。

高市早苗的成長經歷，或許也在一定程度上塑造她強硬甚至叛逆的個性。她出生於奈良縣一個普通家庭，父親是公司職員，母親則是一名警察。雖然她的學業成績優異，甚至同時考上了日本兩所最頂尖的私立大學——早稻田與慶應，但因為家中經濟有限，父母決定將有限的學費留給弟弟使用，這讓她不得不放棄夢想，選擇了學費相對便宜的國立神戶大學。最終，她自神戶大學經營學部畢業，並進入松下政經塾深造。這所政治菁英培訓機構素有「政治家搖籃」之稱，培養出不少日本重量級的政界人物，也成為她踏上政治舞台的跳板。

1993年，高市早苗以無黨籍身份首次當選眾議員，正式進入國會殿堂。此後，她多次成功連任，並加入自民黨，逐漸奠定自己在保守派的穩固地位。她以「不妥協、不退讓」的政治風格聞名，特別是在歷史認知、憲法修正以及國防安全等問題上，立場一貫強硬。

如今，在石破茂辭職後的真空時刻，高市早苗憑藉多年累積的政治資源與保守派基層的支持，成為最具呼聲的首相候選人。外界一方面認為她的當選將為日本政治帶來象徵性的「女性突破」，另一方面卻也對她的「黑歷史」與極端保守傾向深感擔憂。她若真的成為日本首位女首相，不僅將改寫歷史，也可能讓日本在外交與歷史認知問題上與鄰國的摩擦進一步加劇，為本已複雜的東亞局勢增添新的不確定性。

On September 7, 2025, Japan’s political arena was once again thrown into turmoil. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba unexpectedly announced his resignation, triggering an early Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race. Among the potential successors, Sanae Takaichi quickly emerged as the frontrunner, with a 26.7% approval rating. If she succeeds, she would become the first female prime minister in Japan’s history—a symbolic breakthrough in a political landscape long dominated by men.

However, alongside the expectations surrounding a potential female leader, Takaichi carries a heavy load of controversy that has shadowed her political career. Often described as the “female version of Shinzo Abe,” she has been a staunch conservative and one of Abe’s most loyal followers. Takaichi has repeatedly visited the Yasukuni Shrine, denied Japan’s wartime aggression, and openly questioned the authenticity of both the Nanjing Massacre and the “comfort women” issue. She strongly opposes separating Class-A war criminals from Yasukuni and rejects the idea of establishing a neutral national memorial. She also insists that foreign countries should have no say in Japan’s school textbooks. More alarmingly, she has even declared that Japan should not rule out the possibility of engaging in a “hot war” with China if deemed necessary, which has fueled concerns about her hawkish and hardline foreign policy stance.

Her background sheds light on the development of her character and worldview. Born in Nara Prefecture to an ordinary family, with a father working as a company employee and a mother serving as a police officer, Takaichi excelled academically. She was accepted into both Waseda and Keio—two of Japan’s most prestigious private universities. Yet, due to financial constraints, her parents decided to reserve the tuition funds for her younger brother, forcing her to give up those offers. Instead, she enrolled in the more affordable Kobe University, where she studied in the Faculty of Business Administration. After graduation, she entered the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management, a training ground often referred to as a “cradle of politicians,” which has produced many influential figures in Japanese politics.

In 1993, Takaichi ran as an independent candidate and was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time, marking her formal entry into politics. Over the years, she secured multiple re-elections and eventually joined the LDP, solidifying her position within the conservative wing of the party. Known for her uncompromising style, she has consistently taken a hardline stance on constitutional revision, historical interpretation, and national defense issues.

Now, with Ishiba’s resignation leaving a power vacuum, Takaichi stands out as the strongest contender to take the helm. On one hand, her rise represents a milestone as a woman potentially breaking Japan’s highest political barrier. On the other hand, her “dark history” and ultra-conservative positions raise alarms at home and abroad. If she becomes prime minister, her leadership could not only rewrite Japan’s domestic political history but also intensify tensions with neighboring countries, particularly China and South Korea, by reviving disputes over wartime memory and heightening regional security risks.