‘Japan’s Sarah Palin’ and prime minister-in-waiting Tomomi Inada to make Washington debut
Her boss Shinzo Abe has repeatedly likened her to Joan of Arc for her ability to triumph over men in tough situations
With her glasses and her updo, and her sharp conservative views, Tomomi Inada has sometimes been called “Japan’s Sarah Palin”.
This week, she will have a chance to present herself as a statesman in Washington D.C. And official Washington will have a chance, in turn, to get a good look at the woman who could become Japan’s next prime minister.
A hard-liner who has defended many of Japan’s actions during the second world war, she will make her first visit to the United States since being appointed defence minister last month, meeting Defence Secretary Ashton Carter at the Pentagon on Thursday.
The trip comes at what may be a crucial moment in her career.
