PM Takaichi vows to make Japan strong, prosperous through reforms

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday pledged to make Japan "strong and prosperous" by carrying out "necessary reforms" to address various domestic and global challenges.In her New Year's statement, Takaichi, who became Japan's first female prime minister on Oct. 21, said her government is committed to building a nation where younger generations can believe in the future and live in hope.Takaichi emphasized that Japan faces a shrinking population, rising living costs after decades of deflation, and what she described as "the most severe and complex security environment" since the end of…READ FULL ARTICLE