Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivered her first policy speech to the parliament Friday, focusing on economic security and defense spending.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's new hardline coalition partner unshackles her security ambitions and gives U.S. President Donald Trump room to press for military spending, but her fragile government may put a brake on what she can do.

However, she will not commit to any new defence spending target at the meeting with the US leader. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Japan's Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party have broadly agreed to form a coalition government, setting the stage for the country's first female prime minister,

Hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi was elected Japan's first female prime minister on Tuesday, shattering a political glass ceiling for women and setting the country up for a decisive turn to the right.