Former Japanese Economic Security Minister Takaichi Sanae won the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election, which effectively picks the next prime minister, securing control of the party. She was elected the LDP's first female leader and appears poised to become Japan's first female prime minister.

On the 15th, marking 80 years since Japan's defeat, ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker TAKAICHI Sanae, who visited Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, answers reporters' questions. Class-A Pacific War war criminals are enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine. /Courtesy of Yonhap News

Former Economic Security Minister Takaichi won the runoff for the 29th party leadership election held on the 4th at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo, taking 185 votes to defeat Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Koizumi Shinjiro, who received 156 votes, by a margin of 29.

In the first round of this election, which had five candidates, she placed first with 183 votes. Koizumi, the agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister, advanced to the runoff in second place with 164 votes.

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