TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese lawmaker Sanae Takaichi on Monday officially announced she would run in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race to succeed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who last week announced he would step down.

       Takaichi, a conservative who aims to be the country's first female leader, will go up against former foreign minister Fumio Kishida, among others, in the Sept. 29 race.

       The winner of the vote is all but assured to be Japan's next prime minister.

       (Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto and Kantaro Komiya)