Japan’s ruling party to hold Sept 14 leadership vote

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party plans to hold a leadership vote on September 14 to replace Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is stepping down due to ill health, local media reported yesterday. The new party leader will become the country's next prime minister, due to the party's parliamentary majority, with four possible candidates vying for the position. Abe, Japan's longest-serving premier, told US President Donald Trump earlier yesterday that the strengthening of their two nations' alliance would be maintained even after he leaves office, a Japanese government spokesman said. In the race to succeed Abe as the next prime minister, former Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba is the most popular choice among the public, media opinion polls showed.