 "Shigeru Ishiba will become Japan's next prime minister. Reuters")
Shigeru Ishiba has emerged victorious in the race to become Japan’s next prime minister, having been elected as the leader of the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Friday.
The 67-year-old former defence minister defeated his rightwing opponent, Sanae Takaichi, who was vying to be Japan’s first female prime minister, in a close runoff election, securing 215 votes against Takaichi’s 194 at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo.
The vote came after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in August announced he would not run for re-election as LDP president amid damaging fundraising scandals and plummeting approval ratings.
Kishida emphasised the need for “new blood” to lead the party forward, indicating that his successor must usher in a “new LDP.”
So, who is Shigeru Ishiba? What do we know about his journey to prime minister? Let’s take a closer look.
