LDP Leadership Race Heads to Runoff between Takaichi and Ishiba

Politics

Tokyo, Sept. 27 (Jiji Press)--The leadership election of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party headed to a runoff between economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, 63, and former LDP Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba, 67, on Friday.

No candidate won a majority in the first round of voting in the nine-way race to choose a successor to outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Kishida last month announced a decision to step down amid criticism of a political funds scandal involving the LDP, saying that he would not seek re-election as party leader.

The winner of the leadership election is expected to be elected as a new prime minister at a parliamentary session to be convened on Tuesday.

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Jiji Press