Fumio Kishida (Mainichi/Junichi Sasaki)

       TOKYO -- Fumio Kishida, former chief of the Liberal Democratic Party's policy council, won a runoff vote over administrative reform minister Taro Kono to be elected the leader of the ruling party on Sept. 29, putting him on track to become Japan's next prime minister.

       Kishida, 64, is expected to be officially selected as prime minister during an extraordinary session of the Diet to be convened on Oct. 4.

       A vote to elect a new leader of the ruling party was held after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced that he would not seek reelection. A total of four candidates entered the race to become the party's new leader, with voting conducted by Diet members and other members of the party.

       In the initial vote, Kishida won a total of 256 votes, while Kono, 58, won 255. The other two candidates in the race, former communications minister Sanae Takaichi, 60, and LDP Executive Acting Secretary-General Seiko Noda, 61, followed with 188 and 63 votes, respectively. Since Kishida did not win a majority, a runoff was held to determine the winner. In the runoff, Kishida won 257 votes to Kono's 170.

       (Mainichi)

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