Japan's conservative ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Saturday elected former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi as its first female leader.
More than 900,000 party members and 295 LDP lawmakers cast ballots, choosing the staunchly conservative Takaichi in a run-off election against her moderate contender Shinjirō Koizumi.
The 64-year-old Takaichi is now widely expected to be elected by parliament as Japan's next prime minister on October 15.
The LDP, which governs in coalition with its junior partner Komeito, has been in a minority government since losing its majority in the upper house of parliament in July.
But with the fragmented opposition camp unlikely to agree on a joint candidate, the LDP leader is still likely to be chosen as prime minister in mid-October.
If elected, Takaichi would become Japan's fourth prime minister in just five years.
Most recently, the LDP's Shigeru Ishiba resigned as prime minister in early September after less than a year in office, citing the party's historic defeat in July's upper house election.
