ISTANBUL

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership race concluded Saturday with former Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi winning the first round and a run-off.

Takaichi’s competitors included Farm Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, whom she faced in the second round, as well as Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi.

Takaichi won 185 votes, while Koizumi won 156.

In the run-off, the two candidates were vying for the majority of 341 votes up for grabs, with 294 coming from lawmakers.

Several ambassadors to Japan have congratulated Takaichi's election, including the UK, the US and Israel.

Taiwan's top diplomat Lin Chia-lung thanked her "her friendship and support of Taiwan for many years," while expressing hope for "even closer" Taiwan-Japan relations to "become even closer," in Japanese, on the US social media company, X.

The vote, originally scheduled for 2027, was moved forward after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation on Sept. 7, after the coalition’s defeat in July’s upper house elections.

The new president of the party is highly likely to become Japan's next prime minister, although the LDP-led coalition does not hold a majority in parliament.

If Takaichi becomes Japan’s next prime minister, she will be the first woman to hold the office and lead the ruling LDP.

Since former head Shinzo Abe's assassination in 2022, the LDP leadership has been under pressure because of scandals, including one involving a slush fund.

Takaichi later held a post-victory news conference where she said, "Demand-pull inflation -- wage increases driving demand growth, leading to a gradual rising of prices and corporate profits -- is the best outcome," according to the Nikkei Asia website.

Takaichi did not rule out visiting the controversial Yasukuni shrine again, which has long been a source of diplomatic tension between Japan and its neighbors, particularly South Korea and China

"This absolutely should not be turned into a diplomatic issue. I intend to work diligently to create an international environment where we can mutually honor those who gave their lives for their homeland," she said.

Takaichi said that a US-Japan trade deal that has been agreed to between the two countries, such as tariffs and investments will be "firmly upheld."

"I will not overturn what Japan and U.S. have agreed," she said. She stated earlier that Tokyo "must stand" its ground if anything "unfair that is not in Japan’s interests comes to light in the process of implementing the deal."

Takaichi called the LDP-Komeito coalition "fundamental." She also said it would be desirable if mutual agreements could be reached with other parties on common ground.