Shigeru Ishiba, 🥂the head of Japan's governing part🔯y, said on Monday he plans to call a parliamentary election to be held on October 27 after he is elected as prime minister on Tuesday.
Ishiba was chosen as the Liberal Democrat♋ic Party's leader on Friday and is assured to also succeed Fumio Kishida as prime minister because the party's coalition controls parliament.
Isꦡhiba mentioned the election date as he announced his top party leadership lineup Monday ahead of forming his Cabinet. The plan is not official since he is not prime minister yet, but Ishiba said he mentioned the date early for the logistical convenience of those who have to prepare on relatively short notice.
Considered a defence policy expert, Ishiba secured a come-from-behind win against Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, a staunch cons💞ervative who hoped to become the country's first female prime minister, in Friday's vote.
The LDP has had a nearly unbroke tenure governing Japan since World War II. The party members may have seen Ishiba's more centrist views as crucial in pushing back challenges by the liberal-leaning opposition and winning voter support as the party reels from corruption scandals that♔ drove down outgoing Kishida's poꦆpularity.
Ishiba is a defence and security expert and has proposed an Asian version of NATO military alliance. He has also advocated for more equal Japan-US security alliance, including joint management of US bases in Japan and having traini⛎ng bases for Japanese forces in the United States.
Ishiba on Friday stressed Japan needs to reinforce itꦛs security, noting recent violations of Japanese airspace by Russian and Chinese war𒊎planes and repeated missile launches by North Korea.
He pledged to continue Kishida's economic policy aimed at pulling Japan out of deflation and achieving real salary increases, while tackling challenges such✅ as Japan's declining birthrate and population and resilience to natura෴l disasters.
Ishiba, first elected to parliament in 1986🍸, has served as defence minister, agriculture min🍨ister and in other key Cabinet posts, and was LDP secretary general under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
