Fumio Kishida, former foreign minister of Japan, at his office in Tokyo this month. Photo: Shoko Takayasu/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Fumio Kishida, Japan's former foreign minister, was elected leader of the country's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Wednesday.
Why it matters: The 64-year-old's win in the leadership election runoff means he's set to become prime minister of the world's third-largest economy, and a key U.S. ally, after a special parliamentary session on Monday, per the Washington Post.
What to expect: Kishida faces the challenge of reviving Japan's pandemic-hit economy following a lengthy state of emergency that began in April amid surging COVID-19 cases. Restrictions will finally lift for all regions this Thursday.
- His "consensus style" should enable him to consolidate power within the divided party, Reuters notes.
- Japan's new leader must call an election by Nov. 28.
The big picture: Kishida is succeeding Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who announced earlier this month that he was stepping down after serving one year in office.
- Suga's approval rating plunged as Japan's COVID-19 cases soared during the Tokyo Olympics.
- The 72-year-old had replaced Japan's longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, who resigned in 2020 due to health issues. Before Abe took office, the country had 17 prime ministers in 14 years.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.