Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has a surprisingly deep past as a car enthusiast.
Long before setting foot in the country’s highest office, she was the proud first owner of a 1991 Toyota Supra 2.5GT Twin-Turbo Limited (A70).
She had been eyeing the car since before launch and was specifically waiting for an example in Super White Pearl Mica with burgundy leather interior, a rare combo in Japan.
Her Supra was powered by the legendary 1JZ-GTE twin-turbo inline-six producing 280 PS (276 hp), mated to a four-speed automatic, and cost 4.3 million ($32,000 USD in 1991).
Takaichi has driven it between Nara and Tokyo every day for 22 years and still wears TOM’s stickers, diversity antenna, Dunlop Le Mans tires and even export-spec side markers. This is proof that she was not just a leader with a car, but a true JDM. Enthusiast at heart.
The first buyer of the 1991 Supra.