Hardline nationalist Sanae Takaichi has won the leadership election for Japan’s ruling party, paving the way for the country to get its first female prime minister – and shifting the ideological stance of its government dramatically towards the right.
Ms Takaichi, 64, is set to succeed prime minister Shigeru Ishiba, as their LDP party remains the largest in parliament. But with recent elections seeing the LDP-led coalition losing its majority in both chambers of parliament, she will need support from opposition parties to govern smoothly.
The LDP leadership contest was initially a five-way race but Ms Takaichi and the more moderate political scion Shinjiro Koizumi, 44, were always seen as favourites. They emerged as the top two candidates before Ms Takaichi secured victory in a run-off vote on Saturday afternoon.
Ms Takaichi now faces the task of winning back trust from a public angered by rising prices and corruption scandals, and drawn to opposition groups promising big stimulus and clampdowns on foreigners.
Parliament is expected to convene on 15 October to formally elect the next prime minister.
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