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In a year of startling election results and roller-coaster campaigns, you could be forgiven for failing to notice the battle to lead Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). But the result of the ruling party’s internal vote on September 27th matters a lot. The winner of the contest will become Japan’s prime minister on October 1st—replacing Kishida Fumio, the LDP’s current leader, who decided last month to stand down. Who takes his job will affect Japan’s role in the region, and in the world.
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This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Course selection”
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