New Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is not seen as a trailblazer for women's rights in Japan. Photo: AP PHOTO

Sanae Takaichi has taken office as Japan's first female prime minister, but her surprisingly male-dominated cabinet and socially conservative track record have left some women ambivalent in a nation that lags on gender equality.

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Takaichi appointed only two female ministers in a 19-member cabinet, matching her predecessor and falling short of her previously announced plan to ensure women's representation in top posts "not particularly lower than Nordic countries".

"The line-up

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