Asia | Japan’s new leader

Ishiba Shigeru will become Japan’s next prime minister

The maverick won his fifth bid for leadership of the ruling party

Shigeru Ishiba, center, waves as he is elected as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party after the party's leader
Photograph: AP
|TOKYO

IN JAPANESE POLITICS, the fifth time’s the charm. At least that is the case for Ishiba Shigeru, a maverick from Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He defeated eight colleagues to win his fifth bid for party leadership on September 27th. This means he will become Japan’s prime minister when he is sworn in next week. Mr Ishiba had come second to Takaichi Sanae, a hard-right nationalist, in a first round of voting. But he eked out victory in a second-round run-off, as lawmakers who opposed Ms Takaichi consolidated behind him. After the result was declared, he promised to be a leader who would “speak the truth with courage and sincerity”.

Explore more

Reuse this content

Discover more

An illustration of two eyes with binary code with the China flag between them. A wavy strip of blue runs along the top whilst below is a smaller US flag, three Yuan symbols, a cursor symbol, wifi symbol, dollar sign and circuit-board patterns along with mo

America v China: who controls Asia’s internet?

Amid an explosive data and AI boom the superpower contest hots up

Taiwan Navy Commander Tang Hua

China is using an “anaconda strategy” to squeeze Taiwan

Taiwan’s navy commander warns that his forces are increasingly strained

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken exits aeroplane via steps with 'Seal of The President of the United States of America' emblem.

America is losing South-East Asia to China

President Joe Biden will not attend this year’s East Asia Summit

India has a unique opportunity to lead in AI

Its development will be unlike China’s or America’s

Japan’s new prime minister is his own party’s sternest critic

This could make it harder for Ishiba Shigeru to govern effectively

Has the Quad lost its way?

Critics say the loose coalition is lowering its ambitions