Japan's first-ever female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, is a conservative with a traditional view of gender roles and a penchant for heavy metal music.

Hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi pledged to build a “strong Japan” after being elected in parliamentary votes to become the country’s first female prime minister on Tuesday (October 21).

Ms Takaichi’s many challenges include reversing the decline of Japan’s population and injecting some vim in the world’s fourth-largest economy.