#Shigeru #Ishiba, 67, will become the next prime minister of Japan.
Mr. Ishiba, a former defense minister who has long been popular with rank-and-file members of the Liberal Democratic Party but less favored by parliamentary lawmakers,
had run for the party leadership four times before finally attaining victory.
Mr. Ishiba, who is known for his plainspoken opinions and keen interest in military equipment, defeated Ms. Sanae Takaichi 215 to 194 in voting at the party’s headquarters in Tokyo.
He will take over as prime minister next Tuesday, replacing #Fumio #Kishida.
Mr. Kishida, who presided over an expansion of Japan’s defense budget and a rapprochement with South Korea during his three years as prime minister, announced in August that he would resign after months of low approval ratings related to public dissatisfaction with inflation and his handling of a series of political finance scandals.
