TOKYO — Shigeru Ishiba, an outspoken veteran politician and former defense minister, was elected leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party in his fifth attempt on Friday, beating eight other candidates to become the country's next prime minister.
The 67-year-old replaces Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who last month declined to run for a new three-year term as LDP president amid declining support for his cabinet in the wake of a year-long political finance scandal. Ishiba will be elected prime minister in a Diet vote on Tuesday, a guaranteed result due to the LDP's legislative majority.