Japan LDP’s Ishiba formally announces support for PM contender Kono

FILE PHOTO: Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership candidate and former Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba attends a debate for the LDP leadership election in Tokyo, Japan September 12, 2020. Charly Triballeau/Pool via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) - Shigeru Ishiba, a heavyweight politician of Japan's ruling party, formally announced on Wednesday that he would not run for the party's leadership race, throwing his support instead behind Taro Kono, a top contender to become the next prime minister.

There had been some speculation the former defence minister would run in the widely-contested election for leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga pulled out in early September.