日本执政的自由民主党上星期六举行总裁选举，64岁的前经济安保部长高市早苗当选，成为自民党首位女总裁。外界预计，她也将成为日本历史上首位女首相。

高市早苗在当选后表示，为了国家利益，自民党必须“像牛马一样工作”，她本人也将摒弃“工作与生活平衡”这一概念，“工作、工作、再工作”。

从政前，高市早苗曾担任电视节目主持人，并是重金属乐团的鼓手。她长期崇拜英国前首相撒切尔夫人。部分舆论称她为“日本版铁娘子”，但也有批评者认为她是“日本版特朗普”或“女版安倍”。

高市早苗政治立场鲜明，主张大力打击外国人非法居留，限制外国人购买日本土地，并推动修宪，让日本能够正式拥有国家军队。她延续已故前首相安倍晋三的外交立场，强调“台湾有事就是日本有事”。

她也曾公开表示，日本民众对中国“感到愤怒”，自己“也一样”，认为日本人“已经受够了”。因此，高市早苗被视为日本极右翼政治势力的代表人物。

这期的早报播客《东谈西论》，听主持人韩咏红与东京大学综合文化研究科教授川岛真解析高市的当选，会给东北亚局势带来什么冲击？摆在她面前的，又有哪些重大挑战？

延伸阅读：

• 于泽远：中日关系将遭遇高市早苗冲击？
• 林泉忠：高市早苗外交之路铺满荆棘

In a landmark moment for Japanese politics, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has elected Sanae Takaichi as its first female leader, positioning her to become Japan’s first female prime minister. The 64‑year‑old former Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications is a staunch conservative, noted for her nationalist views and uncompromising work ethic. 

Takaichi, formerly a television host and heavy‑metal drummer, has cultivated a distinctive public persona. Her policy platform calls for stricter immigration controls, tighter restrictions on foreign land purchases, and constitutional amendments to formalise a national military. Closely aligned with the security positions of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, she is especially vocal on Taiwan‑China tensions and is often referred to as Japan’s “Iron Lady” for her admiration of Margaret Thatcher.

In this episode of the Global Heartbeat podcast, host Han Yonghong and Dr. Shin Kawashima, Professor of International Relations at the University of Tokyo, examine Takaichi’s ascent, Japan’s rightward political shift, and the potential regional consequences.

Hosted by Lianhe Zaobao’s Associate Editor, Han Yong Hong, Global Heartbeat is a Mandarin weekly news and current affairs podcast that is updated every Tuesday, 7.00 PM SGT. It is available on zaobao.sg, Apple Podcast, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

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