Overview

• Takaichi defeated Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in a second round after no candidate secured a majority in the first ballot.
• She is expected to be nominated prime minister at an upcoming extraordinary Diet session, which would make her the first woman to hold the office in Japan.
• With the ruling bloc short of a majority in both chambers, she signals plans to open policy talks with opposition parties and explore an expanded coalition.
• The Liberal Democratic Party scheduled a news conference at party headquarters for 6 p.m. local time for Takaichi to outline initial priorities.
• Families of North Korean abduction victims urged swift action on the issue, as analysts noted candidates’ heavy use of video and social media in the leadership race.