Who will rise to the top of Japan’s latest prime minister race?

The race is on for Japan’s next prime minister, as current leader Shigeru Ishiba steps down after little more than one year in power. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will select its next party leader on October 4, 2025, from a list of five hopefuls. Among them is a right-wing ally of former president Shinzo Abe and the son of popular former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi. Whoever wins the seat at the head of the LDP is likely to become the next prime minister. Professor Phillip Y. Lipscy, an expert in Japanese politics at the University of Toronto, explains what is at stake.