“Nagai mono ni makarero”: Yielding to power or shaping it? Reflections on Japan’s first female prime minister

The Japanese proverb 「長いものに巻かれろ」, “Let yourself be wrapped around by something long”, has always struck me as both wise and frustrating. It’s a reminder to go along with the powerful, to avoid resistance, and to survive by adapting. In many ways, it reflects the quiet pragmatism that runs through Japanese society: harmony over conflict, tradition over disruption.

But as someone who has spent years working with Japanese professionals and helping expats navigate life and business in Japan, I’ve often wondered: What happens when we stop wrapping ourselves around power, and start becoming powerful ourselves?

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This week, Japan elected its first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. It’s a historic moment, and one that I watched with cautious optimism.

In a country where women are still underrepresented in politics and business, her rise is a breakthrough. Yet, her political stance, deeply conservative and aligned with the old guard, raises questions about whether she is challenging the system or simply mastering it.

Takaichi didn’t storm the gates. She worked within the system, built alliances, and played by the rules of a male-dominated political world.

In that sense, she may embody the proverb: she wrapped herself around the long thing of power, and rose with it.

But here’s where I find hope.

Even if her policies don’t immediately shift the landscape for women, her presence at the top sends a powerful message. Visibility matters. For young women in Japan, and for those of us who have spent years encouraging women to lead, speak up, and take space, seeing a woman in the highest office is a step forward.

I hope Prime Minister Takaichi becomes more than a symbol. I hope she becomes a role model for future changemakers, women who will not only navigate the system, but reshape it. Women who will challenge the proverb, not just live by it.

Because sometimes, the most powerful change begins not with rebellion, but with quiet persistence. And sometimes, wrapping yourself around something long is just the first step toward unraveling it.

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