Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) today elected former defense minister Shigeru Ishiba as its new chairman.
This was reported by the AP agency, according to which the politician will become Japan’s prime minister next week. A record nine candidates, including two women, ran in the vote, which was decided by lawmakers and rank-and-file members of the party. He will decide on the prime minister the Japanese parliament next weekbut where the government coalition controls both chambers. Ishiba has a secure position, AP writes.
Former Minister of Defense at the head of the cabinet and the party will replace the current chairman, Fumio Kishidawho took office in October 2021. In mid-August this year, due to LDP corruption scandals and low support, he announced that he would not run for re-election in internal party elections.
Ishiba won the second round of voting, pitting him against Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi. Both sought the chairmanship already in 2021.
The LDP has long been embroiled in fundraising corruption scandals that have implicated over 80 of its lawmakers. Because of this, Kishida dismissed a number of ministers and other officials from leading positions in the party, dissolved party factions and passed a law tightening the control of political party funding. But the steps did not bring the lost support, the AP agency writes.
Source: zpravy.tiscali.cz
