FOCUS: Race to find next Japan PM may prove ruling party factions die hard

Predicting the winner of Japan's ruling party leadership election -- whose victor is set to become the next prime minister -- is a hard call following the scandal-induced dissolution of powerful lawmaker groups that have influenced intraparty politicking and voting for decades. But their remnants may die hard.The positive outcome of the disappearing factions, at least for now, is that a record nine Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers have filed their candidacies for the Sept. 27 race, and two young lawmakers, both in their 40s, are making bids to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida…READ FULL ARTICLE