Shigeru Ishiba Set to Become Japan's Next Prime Minister

Former Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba is poised to become Japan's new Prime Minister after winning the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election. He narrowly defeated economic security minister Sanae Takaichi. Ishiba will succeed Fumio Kishida and is expected to address multiple domestic and international challenges.

Japan's former Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba is poised to become the country's next prime minister after clinching the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) presidential election on Friday. Ishiba, 67, secured a narrow victory over economic security minister Sanae Takaichi in a runoff vote, Kyodo news outlet reported.

Sanae Takaichi garnered 194 votes against Ishiba's 215, missing the opportunity to become Japan's first female prime minister. Takaichi had previously contested against Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in 2021. The vote followed Kishida's August announcement that he would not seek re-election.

With a parliamentary majority, the LDP has the power to choose Japan's prime ministers. Ishiba, who has also served as agriculture minister, is set to select new LDP executives on Monday and form his Cabinet after being elected prime minister in an extraordinary Diet session on October 1.

The election saw various candidates, including former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa. Ishiba will lead the world's fourth-largest economy amid a weakening yen, inflation, rising national debt, and wage stagnation, along with escalating tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, including North Korea's nuclear ambitions and China's military threats.

A strong advocate of Taiwanese democracy, Ishiba has proposed an 'Asian NATO' to counter security threats from China and North Korea. However, observers in Washington have expressed skepticism about this idea, reported the Washington Times. Considered a defense policy expert, Ishiba's strategic vision will likely influence Japan's future security dynamics. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)