Battle to pick next LDP head effectively kicks off, heavyweights join race

The battle to pick the next leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party effectively kicked off Monday, with heavyweights such as former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi emerging as prominent candidates.The presidential election is likely to feature some of the candidates who ran in 2024, including Takaichi, who hopes to become Japan's first female prime minister, Hayashi, former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi.Following Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's announcement that he will step down, the L…READ FULL ARTICLE