After Kishida’s withdrawal: Ex-defense minister becomes Japan’s new prime minister

After retreating from Kishida
Former defense minister becomes Japan’s new prime minister

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After a donation scandal, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announces his resignation. His successor has now been chosen.

Japan’s ruling LDP party has elected former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba as the new party leader and thus de facto the country’s head of government. Because of the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) majority in the relevant lower house of parliament, Ishiba is also virtually certain to be elected prime minister of the world’s fourth-largest economy on October 1.

The 67-year-old succeeds party and government leader Fumio Kishida. He did not stand for election because of a party donations scandal. In Japan, the head of the ruling party is traditionally also the prime minister.

Ishiba prevailed in a runoff against the national conservative Minister for Economic Security, Sanae Takaichi, who was the first woman to seek the highest government office.

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