Takaichi's victory follows Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's resignation after bruising electoral losses for the LDP in 2024 and 2025.

The move is seen as an attempt to avoid a split within his governing Liberal Democratic Party, which lost its upper house majority in an election in July.

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced he is stepping down after less than a year in the role, following two major election losses. The move comes a day before his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was expected to vote on whether to hold an internal leadership vote that could have forced him out.

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean President Lee Jae Myung hosts outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday on a goodwill visit aimed at highlighting the two countries' commitment to improve once-frosty ties and cooperate more closely on trade.

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has expressed his intention on Sunday to step down following growing calls from his party to take responsibility for a historic defeat in July's parliamentary election.

Japan's ruling party must decide on its future direction with a new leader following Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's resignation to take responsibility for July's dismal election result.

Sanae Takaichi came out top in a male-dominated race to lead Japan's ruling party on Saturday, putting her on course to emulate her hero, former British leader Margaret Thatcher, and become her country's first female prime minister.

Sanae Takaichi won the LDP presidential election and is expected to become Japan's first female prime minister. Shigeru Ishiba announced his decision to quit in early September, taking responsibility for the ruling coalition's loss of majority in July House of Councillors election.

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru visited the grave of the late Lee Soo-hyun, a Korean national recognized for his righteous act, at Yeongnak Park in Geumjeong-gu, Busan, on the 30th of last month ahead of a summit with President Lee Jae-myung.

President Lee Jae Myung held summit talks with outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in the southeastern city of Busan on Tuesday. Ishiba arrived for a two-day trip as a reciprocal trip following Lee's visit to Japan last month,