Sanae Takaichi has been elected Japan's first female prime minister in a parliamentary vote. Photo: AP PHOTO

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.

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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 overw

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