The verdict is out: Japan’s former defence minister, Shigeru Ishiba, has won the race to lead his country and is set to become the next prime minister.
The 67-year-old defeated economic security minister Sanae Takaichi in a runoff after the two won the most votes in the first round in a crowded field of nine candidates.
The outgoing Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, announced in August that he would be stepping down from the top office, ending his three-year term.
Ishiba has a tough road ahead. He needs to address many of his country’s domestic issues, like rising living costs, and keep a close eye on countries like China and a nuclear-armed North Korea.
According to reports, he supports policies like changing the law to allow married couples to use separate surnames, a move opposed by Takaichi and other more conservative LDP lawmakers.
