/
© 2026 RiffOn. All rights reserved.

Get your free personalized podcast brief

We scan new podcasts and send you the top 5 insights daily.

  1. Economist Podcasts
  2. Rock and rule: Japan’s first female PM
Rock and rule: Japan’s first female PM

Rock and rule: Japan’s first female PM

Economist Podcasts · Oct 21, 2025

Japan's new conservative PM, Trump's zero-migration policy's economic impact, and a German coffee chain disrupting the traditional market.

Japan's LDP Deploys a Populist-Styled Leader to Preserve the Establishment

Japan's ruling LDP selected Takaichi Sanae, a leader with a brash, populist aesthetic, not to upend the system but to co-opt populist appeal. This strategy aims to fend off genuine anti-establishment challengers and re-establish the party's grip on power, demonstrating a novel approach to maintaining the status quo.

Rock and rule: Japan’s first female PM thumbnail

Rock and rule: Japan’s first female PM

Economist Podcasts·9 months ago

Japan's First Female Prime Minister is an Arch Social Conservative, Not a Feminist

Takaichi Sanae's appointment is a historic milestone for gender representation in Japan. However, her political agenda is deeply conservative. She actively opposes key feminist issues, such as allowing separate surnames for married couples, illustrating the crucial distinction between descriptive representation and substantive policy change.

Rock and rule: Japan’s first female PM thumbnail

Rock and rule: Japan’s first female PM

Economist Podcasts·9 months ago

Restricting High-Skilled Immigration Kills Innovation by Eliminating "Spillover Effects"

The economic cost of zero-migration policies isn't just the loss of immigrant talent, but also the loss of their "spillover effects." Research shows immigrant innovators significantly boost the productivity and output of their native-born colleagues. A third of US innovation, measured by patents, is attributed to immigrants and these crucial collaborative spillovers.

Rock and rule: Japan’s first female PM thumbnail

Rock and rule: Japan’s first female PM

Economist Podcasts·9 months ago

German Coffee Chain LAP Builds Community Outside Its "No-Frills" Stores

LAP Coffee keeps prices low with stark interiors and quick service, discouraging customers from lingering. It builds its "Life Among People" brand by hosting community events like yoga and art shows outside the core transaction. This unbundling of product and community experience attracts a younger demographic focused on speed and affordability.

Rock and rule: Japan’s first female PM thumbnail

Rock and rule: Japan’s first female PM

Economist Podcasts·9 months ago