Japan's ruling party leadership election went to a runoff between former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and vaccination Minister Taro Kono on Wednesday after none of the four candidates won a majority in the first round, with the winner set to become Japan's next prime minister, Kyodo News reported.
Kishida, the most popular among Diet members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, won 256 votes, while Kono, the favorite among rank-and-file LDP members, secured 255 votes.
Two female candidates, Sanae Takaichi, a former communications minister, and Seiko Noda, the LDP executive acting secretary-general, followed with 188 and 63 votes, respectively.
RHM/PR