Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party will elect a new leader Saturday, in a race that could usher in historic change amid political and economic challenges.
Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party (L.D.P.) will gather on Saturday for a pivotal leadership election that could reshape the country’s political future. The contest comes after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation last month, ending a tenure of less than a year.
The L.D.P., which has ruled Japan almost continuously for seven decades, is grappling with weakened support after poor results in July’s elections. For the first time in years, the party holds only a minority in both houses of the Diet, Japan’s Parliament.
Five candidates are vying for the party’s top post, with the winner expected to be confirmed as prime minister in mid-October during an extraordinary parliamentary session. The race could potentially deliver Japan its first female prime minister or its youngest leader in 140 years.
Japan’s next leader will inherit a daunting agenda, from strained U.S. ties and economic stagnation to growing backlash against immigration and rising political scandals.