Japanese business leaders complain of markedly less access to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as she breaks with tradition by distancing herself from corporate elites accustomed to privileged ties with government.
Takaichi, who won a landslide victory in a snap general election in February, rarely holds one-on-one meetings with chief executives, and formulates policy with less input from industry lobby groups including Keidanren, the country’s largest and most influential business association.
This has not gone down well with Japan’s business establishment. More than half a dozen senior executives expressed frustration with Takaichi’s leadership style to the FT, despite her pro-investment, business-friendly policies.