Kishida wins LDP poll, to succeed Suga as Japan’s Prime Minister

Fumio Kishida won 257 ballots, defeating Taro Kono who scored 170 votes. - Bloomberg

TOKYO (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Japan’s former foreign minister Fumio Kishida is set to be sworn in as Yoshihide Suga’s successor as Prime Minister, after he won the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s internal election on Wednesday (Sept 29).

The Diet will convene next Monday (Oct 4) for lawmakers to elect Japan’s 100th Prime Minister. The LDP coalition has a majority in both chambers of Parliament, making the process all but a formality.