Former Japanese defense minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to become the next Prime Minister

Former defense minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to become Japan’s prime minister after winning fifth place in a runoff on Friday in his last-ditch bid to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

The 67-year-old political veteran defeated conservative Sanae Takaichi in a repeat election in the most unexpected leadership election in decades recorded by 9 people in the field.

The leader of the LDP, which has ruled Japan for almost the entire post-war period, is guaranteed to become the next prime minister because of its majority in parliament. A special session of parliament is scheduled for Tuesday to vote for Ishiba’s replacement.

“We must believe in the people, speak the truth with courage and sincerity, and work together to make Japan a safe and secure country where everyone can live with a smile,” a sad Ishiba said in his speech to LDP members after the meeting. the result.

Ishiba on Friday emphasized the need for the country’s economy to fully exit the monetary easing.

Revitalizing consumption is essential for Japan to emerge from the recession, he said, adding that the new administration must consider more effective ways to prevent households from being hit by inflation.

The fight to succeed prime minister Fumio Kishida erupted in August when he announced that he would step down due to many scandals that caused the LDP to decline.

Ishiba, a self-proclaimed lone wolf whose controversial views and feuds with colleagues have contributed to four failed leadership bids, has long been popular with the general public. But he said this is “his last fight.”

With the LDP facing a national election sometime in the next 13 months, analysts say Ishiba’s election suggests that some in the party appear to be putting aside their grievances in favor of his public appeal.

“They like to look for a famous person who is good in the media and who is not afraid to criticize his party if he thinks it is wrong,” said Jeffrey Hall, a teacher at the Kanda University of International Studies.

Challenges ahead

He must temper anger over rising living costs and bitter anger about his scandal-plagued party and navigate a volatile East Asian security environment fueled by a strong China and nuclear-armed North Korea.

His approach to negotiations with Japan’s closest ally, the United States, will be in focus as he has repeatedly called for a more balanced relationship with Washington.

In his campaign, he has called for the creation of an Asian NATO, an idea that would raise eyebrows in Beijing and has already been dismissed as rash by a top US official.

The US ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, congratulated Ishiba, writing to X that he looked forward to working with him to strengthen the US-Japan alliance. A spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, when asked about Ishiba’s appointment, said Beijing hopes Japan has an “intentional and fair” understanding of China.

Ishiba entered parliament in 1986 after working briefly in a bank. His outspoken views have made him enemies in the LDP.

Sidelined by outgoing Prime Minister Kishida, he became a dissenting voice in a party that enjoyed broad support from LDP rank-and-file members and the public.

Ishiba has lashed out at measures including the increased use of nuclear power, a controversial issue in the wake of the tragic meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant in 2011, and has criticized his party for supporting Japan’s ban on married couples using different surnames.

Ishiba, who has served as agriculture minister, has promised to move other ministries and government agencies out of Tokyo to help revive Japan’s dying regions.

To consolidate his hold on the fractured party, Ishiba will need to move from a wider base to build his cabinet, said Rintaro Nishimura, a fellow at Asia Group Japan.

“If he just rewards people who support him, that will cause a big problem for people who support Takaichi and people who don’t like him,” said Nishimura.

Ishiba is expected to announce his cabinet after the Parliament meeting on Tuesday.