Investors celebrate Japan’s ‘Iron Lady’ election win

Group 1: Market Reaction - Japan's benchmark stock index, the Nikkei 225, reached a record high following the election of Sanae Takaichi as the new leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party [1] - The Nikkei is up over 20% this year, with the iShares MSCI Japan ETF closely mirroring the index [4] - Other Japan-focused exchange-traded funds, including WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund and JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF, also experienced a boost [5] Group 2: Economic Context - Japan's economy is emerging from a 30-year deflationary period, with inflation returning and nominal GDP growth occurring [4] - The central bank is raising interest rates from zero, indicating a positive economic environment [4] - The election win is seen as part of a broader global trend of economic restructuring and growth, often referred to as the "Trump effect" [2] Group 3: Political Implications - Takaichi, known as the 'Iron Lady', has called for a stronger military and a tougher stance against China and North Korea, while opposing same-sex marriage [1] - U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed support for Takaichi's election, highlighting her potential as a strong leader and valuable partner for U.S.-Japan relations [6][7][9] - Takaichi won the leadership against Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff vote within the Liberal Democratic Party [11]