Reporters also pressed her on claims made by some opposition parties, who say Japan appears to be shifting to the right on the political spectrum.
She has promised to speed up efforts to remove the consumption tax from food products for two years.
Takaichi said a country’s ultimate mission is to protect its people’s lives and livelihoods, so foreign and security policies are very important. She added that Japan isn’t shifting to the right, but becoming “a normal nation.”
