Shigeru Ishiba wins Liberal Democratic Party leadership race to become Japan's next prime minister

Considered a defence policy expert, Mr Ishiba has proposed an Asian version of the Nato military alliance and a more equal Japan-US security alliance.

Japan’s ruling party elected former defence minister Nobuo Ishiba as its new leader on Friday, putting him on course to become the country’s next prime minister.

Ishiba, 64, beat five other candidates, including two women, in a vote to choose a successor to Fumio Kishida, who is stepping down after eight months in the top job.

The party leadership win is a ticket to the top job because the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) ruling coalition currently controls the parliament.

After the result was announced, Ishiba stood up, waved and bowed many times in a gesture of appreciation for the support.

He pledged he will have the party once again become one that is “humble and fair and open to having active discussions”.

“I will devote all my body and soul to make Japan a safe and secure country where everyone can live smiling,” Ishiba added.

Outgoing prime minister Kishida has been dogged by party corruption scandals, and the LDP wanted a fresh leader in the hopes of regaining public trust before a likely general election.

Some experts believe that party turmoil could mean that Japan will return to an era similar to the early 2000s, which saw “revolving door” leadership changes and political instability.

A succession of short-lived governments hurts Japanese prime ministers’ ability to set up long-term policy goals or develop trusted relations with other leaders.

On Tuesday, Kishida and his cabinet ministers will resign.

Ishiba, after being formally elected in a parliamentary vote, will then form a new cabinet later in the day.

Kishida congratulated Ishiba on his victory and said Friday marks the first step for a new LDP.

“LDP will reborn, and will live up to the people’s expectations and achieve results,” he said.

As Japan faces security tension in the region and elsewhere, it must step up its own defence power and ties with the United States “and help the world become a place of co-operation instead of divisions,” Kishida said.

“I will support the new administration with all my strength,” he said.

The main opposition – the liberal-leaning Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan – has struggled to build momentum, despite the LDP scandals.

But experts say its newly elected leader, centrist former prime minister Yoshihiko Noda, is pushing a conservative shift for the party and could trigger broader political regroupings.