(CNN) – Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba will become Japan’s new prime minister after winning the contest for his party’s leadership this Friday, after a close race that ended in a second round.
Ishiba, 67, takes control of the long-ruling, scandal-plagued Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and will take over the world’s fourth-largest economy when Parliament convenes in October, thanks to the majority of his party in the Lower House.
She was one of nine candidates and defeated Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi – who aspired to become Japan’s first female leader – in the second round, with 215 votes in favor and 194 against. A third favorite who didn’t make the final cut was Shinjiro Koizumi, the charismatic, American-educated son of popular former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
It was Ishiba’s fifth attempt to lead the party, a conservative political machine that has ruled Japan almost continuously since its founding in 1955.
In a political culture that values conformity, Ishiba was long something of an outlier, willing to criticize and go against his own party. That willingness to speak out earned him powerful enemies within the PLD, but earned him the sympathy of its most popular members and the public.
It is located in the most progressive wing of the conservative party. It is likely that his political acumen and experience in domestic and foreign policy have led him to the top position.
After the vote, Ishiba said that now the LDP can “be reborn and regain the trust of the people.”
“I will believe in the people, I will tell the truth with courage and sincerity, and I will do everything in my power to make this country a safe place where everyone can live again with a smile on their face.”
The veteran politician promised a “complete exit” from Japan’s high inflation rates, and “real wage growth.” He also supports legislation that could allow married women to keep their maiden name, said Japan should reduce its dependence on nuclear energy in favor of renewables and called for an Asian version of the NATO security bloc to counter threats from China and North Korea.
Ishiba will succeed outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who announced in August that he would resign after a single term in the wake of a series of political scandals that fueled calls for him to step down.
In recent months, the LDP has been embroiled in one of Japan’s biggest political scandals in decades. Two of the LDP’s most influential factions were accused of failing to properly report their income and expenses and, in some cases, of allegedly diverting political funds to legislators in the form of kickbacks.
Scandals surrounding several senior officials have not helped, with some accused of involvement in electoral law violations or past offensive comments against minorities.
Kishida had attempted to contain the damage, replacing several cabinet ministers last year and suppressing his own party faction.
As leader of the ruling party, Ishiba will be tasked with improving the LDP’s image ahead of next year’s general elections.
He will also take the helm at a time of rising costs of living, compounded by the weak yen.
With the US presidential election in November, Ishiba will have to manage Japan’s relations with a new American leader amid growing security challenges in Asia, with an increasingly assertive China and a belligerent North Korea.
The partnership with Japan has long been central to US strategy in the Asia-Pacific region, and his predecessor Kishida this year expanded Japan’s defense cooperation with its main ally.
Ishiba was adamant about deterrence as a security issue and, echoing his predecessor’s words during a recent trip to Taiwan, said that “what is happening in Ukraine today could be a problem the northeast faces tomorrow.” from Asia,” according to Kyodo News.
Japanese resident Emi Uchibori, 67, told CNN from Tokyo that she supports Ishiba, saying, “We need a leader who can lead Japan firmly in the future.”
“Japan is an aging society, and I hope that social welfare will be promoted. As for diplomacy, I would like Japan to deal with the problems with China, Russia and North Korea,” he said.
Meanwhile, Manami Otsuchi, 22, said she wants to see reforms “that do not put too much of a burden on the younger generation and that lead to Japan’s economic growth.”
CNN’s Genta Takeda and Hanako Montgomery contributed reporting.
