TOKYO (Reuters) - Trade minister Banri Kaieda has the lead in a ruling party race to pick Japan's latest prime minister, but a bruising run-off looks likely as chances look dim for winning a majority in a first round vote, media surveys showed on Sunday.
Japan's next leader -- the country's sixth in five years -- faces huge challenges including a resurgent yen that threatens exports, forging a new energy policy while ending the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl, and finding funds to rebuild from a devastating March tsunami as well as to pay for the ballooning social welfare costs of a fast-ageing society.
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