Nikkei hits record high as Japan elects 1st female PM

Business Oct 06, 2025

Japanese stocks and some Asia-Pacific markets jumped on Monday after Sanae Takaichi was elected leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party—the first woman ever to hold the post, and likely Japan's first female Prime Minister.
The Nikkei 225 shot up over 4%, hitting a record high.

Takaichi's win comes after party turmoil

Takaichi's win (with 54.25% of votes) came after party turmoil, and markets quickly reacted: both Nikkei and Topix broke records, the yen dropped 1.45% against the dollar, and long-term bond yields climbed.
Her election also nudged Australia's market higher, and Hong Kong futures were poised to open slightly higher—showing just how much leadership changes in a major economy can ripple across the globe.