Soft-spoken Kishida to become Japan's next PM after party vote

FILE PHOTO: Candidate for the presidential election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Fumio Kishida, former foreign minister speaks during a debate organized by Liberal Democratic Party, Youth Bureau, Women's Bureau at Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in Tokyo on September 20, 2021. Philip Fong/Pool via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) - Former foreign minister Fumio Kishida won on Wednesday a race to lead Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), virtually ensuring that he will succeed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in the post within days.

(Reporting by Antoni Slodkowski; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)