Japan: Sanae Takaichi wins ruling party leader race, set to become first female PM on Oct 15

Tokyo, Oct 4 (IANS) Japan's former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi was elected leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in a vote on Saturday. She is set to become the first female Prime Minister of Japan on October 15.

Takaichi received 185 votes, while Koizumi garnered 156 in a runoff after none of the five candidates in the party leadership race secured a majority in the initial round of voting, according to local media reports.

In the first round of the election, Takaichi secured the lead with a total of 183 votes, which included 64 from party lawmakers and 119 from rank-and-file members. Koizumi followed closely behind with 164 votes, comprised of 80 from party lawmakers and 84 from rank-and-file members, country's leading newspaper, The Japan Times, reported.

Lawmakers from the LDP started voting for a new leader earlier in the day, with five candidates competing to become the new party chief and virtually the country's next prime minister.

Along with Sanae Takaichi, the contenders were former LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, and Takayuki Kobayashi.

All five also ran in last year's election, which saw a record nine candidates.

The first round of the election, triggered by LDP President Shigeru Ishiba's resignation last month, consisted of 590 votes, 295 from LDP lawmakers and 295 allocated proportionally to rank-and-file party members and registered supporters.

The contest focused on issues such as cooperation with opposition parties, economic measures to tackle rising prices, and rebuilding the party after successive election defeats and political funding scandals.

Years of sluggish growth, rising prices and a sharp depreciation of the yen have weighed heavily on the public, and the LDP's twin defeats have left its leadership under closer scrutiny.

As the ruling bloc loses its historical dominance, the task ahead is unenviable: holding together a divided party, managing minority rule, and convincing a sceptical electorate that the LDP is still capable of providing stable government.

--IANS

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