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Shigeru Ishiba to lead Japan's ruling party, become country's new prime minister

A total of 368 incumbent LDP lawmakers voted in the second round, with regional party cells casting 47 votes based on the number of prefectures in Japan

Japan's Ruling Liberal Democratic Party President Shigeru Ishiba Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images

Japan's Ruling Liberal Democratic Party President Shigeru Ishiba

© Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images

TOKYO, September 27. /TASS/. Former Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, 67, has been elected president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and will become the country's new prime minister on October 1. He received 215 of the 415 votes cast by his party members in the second round of voting.

Japan's Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, 63, who also made it to the second round, received 194 out of 415 votes. A total of 368 incumbent LDP lawmakers voted in the second round, with regional party cells casting 47 votes based on the number of prefectures in Japan.

Ishiba’s election campaign

During the election campaign, he advocated strengthening the country's defense capabilities, the creation of an "Asian NATO" and a system of collective security in the region, arguing that Ukraine's membership in the alliance would prevent conflict with Russia. He also promised to work to restore voter confidence in the LDP, which has been undermined by a series of scandals, including financial irregularities in the collection of political donations, and proposed the creation of a ministry for disaster prevention.

According to experts, Japan will not change its policy toward Russia no matter who becomes the new prime minister. Thus, Ishiba's administration, like Kishida's, is expected to favor maintaining sanctions against Moscow and supporting Kiev. On July 15, 2022, Ishiba was added to Russia's sanctions list in response to the Japanese government's policy: he is banned from entering the country.

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