Japan's parliament elects Sanae Takaichi as nation's first female prime minister
Tokyo (AP): Japan's parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country's first female prime minister Tuesday, a day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner expected to pull her governing bloc further to the right.
Takaichi replaces Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and wrangling since the Liberal Democratic Party's disastrous election loss in July.
Ishiba, who lasted only one year as prime minister, resigned with his Cabinet earlier in the day, paving the way for his successor.
Takaichi won 237 votes — four more than a majority — compared to 149 won by Yoshikoko Noda, head of the largest opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, in the lower house, which elects the prime minister. As the results were announced, Takaichi stood up and bowed deeply.
The LDP's alliance with the Osaka-based rightwing Japan Innovation Party, or Ishin no Kai, ensured her premiership because the opposition is not united. Takaichi's untested alliance is still short of a majority in both houses of parliament and will need to court other opposition groups to pass any legislation — a risk that could make her government unstable and short-lived.
“Political stability is essential right now," Takaichi said at Monday's signing ceremony with the JIP leader and Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura. “Without stability, we cannot push measures for a strong economy or diplomacy.”
The two parties signed a coalition agreement on policies underscoring Takaichi's hawkish and nationalistic views.
Their last-minute deal came after the Liberal Democrats lost its longtime partner, the Buddhist-backed Komeito, which has a more dovish and centrist stance. The breakup threatened a change of power for the LDP, which has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for decades.
Later in the day, Takaichi, 64, will present a Cabinet with a number of allies of LDP's most powerful kingmaker, Taro Aso, and others who backed her in the party leadership vote.
JIP will not hold ministerial posts in Takaichi's Cabinet until his party is confident about its partnership with the LDP, Yoshimura said.
Takaichi is running on deadline, as she prepares for a major policy speech later this week, talks with US President Donald Trump and regional summits. She needs to quickly tackle rising prices and compile economy-boosting measures by late December to address public frustration.
While she is the first woman serving as Japan's prime minister, she is in no rush to promote gender equality or diversity.
Takaichi is among Japanese politicians who have stonewalled measures for women's advancement. Takaichi supports the imperial family's male-only succession and opposes same-sex marriage and allowing separate surnames for married couples.
A protege of assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi is expected to emulate his policies including a stronger military and economy, as well as revising Japan's pacifist constitution. With her potentially weak grip on power, it's unknown how much Takaichi will be able to achieve.
Also an admirer of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi was first elected to parliament in 1993 and has served in a number of senior party and government posts, including as ministers of economic security and internal affairs, but her diplomatic background is thin.
When Komeito left the governing coalition, it cited the LDP's lax response to slush fund scandals that led to their consecutive election defeats.
The centrist party also raised concern about Takaichi's revisionist view of Japan's wartime past and her regular prayers at Yasukuni Shrine despite protests from Beijing and Seoul that see the visits as lack of remorse about Japanese aggression, as well as her recent xenophobic remarks.
Takaichi has toned down her hawkish rhetoric. On Friday, she sent a religious ornament instead of going to Yasukuni.
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AI to operate new Dreamliner with limitations; awaits certain FAA approvals
New Delhi (PTI): Air India will operate its new Boeing 787-9 aircraft with certain limitations as the Tata Group-owned airline is awaiting approvals from the US watchdog FAA for the sliding privacy doors in the plane's business class suites and for 18 economy class seats, sources said on Friday.
The aircraft, also the first custom-made Dreamliner to join the Air India fleet after takeover by the Tata Group in January 2022, will enter commercial operations on the Mumbai-Frankfurt route from February 1.
The plane has 296 seats, comprising 30 business class, 28 premium economy and 238 economy class seats. Out of them, 18 economy class seats will not be available for use till the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) give its approval, the sources told PTI.
In a statement to PTI, an airline spokesperson said the new B787-9 will enter commercial operations on February 1 with certain limitations.
"The sliding privacy doors in our business class suites will remain securely fixed in the open position and unavailable for passenger use, as this specific seat feature awaits regulatory approval. We expect to receive the necessary approval in the near future. All other seat features are available for passenger use," the spokesperson said.
Separately, a total of 18 specific economy class seats are blocked from sale and are also physically blocked from use.
"The seat product itself (RECARO 3710) is fully certified and in regular operation on many airlines worldwide; however, there is a regulatory interpretation affecting the 18 specific seats that we are working with the manufacturer and regulator to resolve.
"The 18 specific seats will only be offered for sale once full certification is received," the spokesperson said.
When contacted over e-mail, an FAA spokesperson told PTI, "We don't comment on ongoing certification work".
There was no comment from Boeing.
In 2026, five more wide-body aircraft -- three Boeing 787-9s and 2 A350-1000s -- are set to join the Air India fleet. The airline, currently, has 188 planes, and the legacy Boeing 787s are undergoing retrofit progressively.
According to the spokesperson, the product limitations due to pending certification apply only to the new B787-9 aircraft, and not to the retrofitted B787-8 planes.
These are two different variants, and their interior fitout undergoes a separate certification process. The certifications for seats and features on the B787-8 are complete and have been approved by relevant regulators and will be available for customer use, the spokesperson added.
The sources also said that some global airlines are awaiting certain regulatory approvals for their business class seats. These include Lufthansa, which is awaiting regulatory certification nod for some of the business class seats in their new Boeing 787-9 aircraft, they added.
At present, Air India has 33 Boeing 787s -- 26 legacy Boeing 787-8s and 7 Boeing 787-9s, including 6 from Vistara and the new one.
In 2025, Boeing delivered 14 Boeing 787s to various airlines, including 12 Boeing 787-9s.
