A significant party election is set to take place in Japan on Friday to determine the new Prime Minister of the nation. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will be conducting the vote to select a new party leader, with the winner automatically assuming the role of Prime Minister following the resignation of the current leadership on Tuesday. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has faced issues with corruption scandals during his tenure, prompting the party to seek a new leader to rebuild public trust. This election sees a record number of nine lawmakers, including two women, competing for the leadership position.

The voting process will involve LDP members of parliament and approximately 1 million party members who pay dues, accounting for only 1% of eligible voters. Unlike previous elections where faction leaders played a significant role in determining the outcome, this election may see a shift due to most of the factions announcing their dissolution in the wake of corruption scandals. This change has raised concerns among experts about potential political instability reminiscent of the early 2000s, characterized by frequent leadership changes and challenges in setting long-term policies.

Shigeru Ishiba, a former defense minister, has consistently topped media surveys leading up to the election, while Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, follows closely behind. Sanae Takaichi, an Abe protege and strong conservative who previously ran against Kishida, holds the third position by a narrow margin. Analysts predict that two out of the three frontrunners will likely proceed to a runoff, with the possibility of Japan seeing its first female leader if either Takaichi or Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa emerges victorious.

The representation of women in Japan’s lower house of parliament is currently low at 10.3%, ranking the country 163rd out of 190 countries in a report by the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The resignation of Prime Minister Kishida and his Cabinet ministers is scheduled for Tuesday, with the new leader expected to form a new Cabinet later in the day upon receiving parliamentary endorsement. In the opposition camp, the liberal-leaning Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has struggled to gain momentum despite the controversies surrounding the LDP.