By
Bloomberg
Published
October 28, 2025
The bag that Japan’s first feminine prime minister Sanae Takaichi carries has gone viral, catapulting a 145-year-old local leather-based items maker into the highlight.
Social media customers recognized the purse Takaichi usually carries when strolling into the prime minister’s residence because the “Grace Delight Tote” made by Hamano Inc., a 145-year-old Japanese leather-based items maker, whose merchandise have lengthy been favored by members of Japan’s imperial household.
Priced at ¥136,000 ($895), the bag has gone viral, sparking a flood of orders to the producer, based mostly in Nagano in central Japan. Despite being made fully of leather-based, it weighs solely 700 grams (1.5 kilos), and is designed to “balance elegance with practicality,” in response to the web site.
Hamano is receiving “an overwhelming number of orders” after photos of the prime minister with the bag had been featured on social media and information, each in Japan and abroad, the corporate mentioned on the location. Shipments are delayed till the top of April and the corporate apologized for a delay in responding to inquiries, its web site mentioned.
Takaichi isn’t the primary feminine politician whose trend selections have bolstered gross sales of comparatively unknown manufacturers. Female policymakers have a tendency to stay to conventional luxury labels, however the occasional unorthodox selection — like US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez touting her tote bag from Telfar in 2020 — might be transformative for smaller retailers.
The 64-year-old Takaichi is famously an admirer of former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who was additionally recognized for her structured purses by British label Launer. Their pursuits diverge in different areas — Takaichi has spoken of her love for heavy metallic music, automobiles and motorbikes.
While polls present Takaichi is especially in style with the youthful era, it’s unclear what age teams are imitating her selection of accent.
The Hamano tote appeals to a variety {of professional} girls who’re searching for a good selection of bag that holds a laptop computer and each day necessities, with out drawing pointless consideration, mentioned Kaori Nakano, a luxury and tradition specialist and a visiting professor at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo.
“It’s a solid, dependable choice for women in managerial positions,” Nakano mentioned. “It’s relatively affordable compared to overseas brands of similar quality.”
Besides the bag, Takaichi often wears clothes designed by Japanese designer Jun Ashida, Nakano mentioned.
“By prominently wearing Japanese designer clothes and carrying a bag made in Japan, she’s making a statement of her patriotism and support for Japanese industry,” Nakano added. “It’s already working.”