Shigeru Ishiba, a former defense minister, has been elected as Japan's new prime minister after winning the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership contest in a runoff against Sanae Takaichi. Ishiba succeeds Fumio Kishida, whose tenure was marred by corruption scandals and low approval ratings. The election saw a record nine candidates, with Ishiba securing the leadership on his fifth attempt. Ishiba has pledged to tackle high inflation, boost real wages, and promote an 'Asian NATO' to counter threats from China and North Korea. His victory signals a potential shift in Japan’s domestic and foreign policy, with promises to address long-standing economic challenges and security concerns.