Fumio Kishida is set to become Japan’s next Prime Minister as he won the ruling party leadership election in a run-off vote. The former Foreign Minister defeated former Defence and Foreign Minister Taro Kono in a second round run-off vote. Two female contenders, Sanae Takaichi and Seiko Noda, dropped out after the first round. Kishida served as the country’s foreign minister from 2012 to 2017, under Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. He is now widely expected to become Prime Minister, owing to the LDP’s strong majority in the lower house. A general election is scheduled to take place later this year.