Hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi has been elected Japan's first female prime minister, shattering the nation's glass ceiling and setting it up for a forceful turn to the right.

An acolyte of former prime minister Shinzo Abe and an admirer of Britain's Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi received 237 votes in the lower house election to choose the next premier, topping the majority of the 465-seat chamber.

Her victory marks a pivotal moment for a nation where men still hold overwhelming sway. But it is also likely to usher in a sharper move to the right on policies related to immigration and social issues.

Takaichi's victory was secured after her Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed Japan for most of its postwar history, agreed to a coalition deal with the right-wing Japan Innovation

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