Shigeru Ishiba succeeds in fifth bid to become Japan's prime minister

Ex-defence minister emerges victorious in ruling party polls, will be sworn in on Oct 1

- Walter Sim

TOKYO - Former defence minister Shigeru Ishiba has triumphed in his fifth bid to become Japan's prime minister, emerging victorious in ruling party elections to succeed Mr Fumio Kishida.

On Sept 27, Mr Ishiba, 67, who was first elected to the Diet in 1986 and is considered a maverick outsider within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), beat out front runners who could have become Japan's first woman prime minister or its youngest.

Mr Ishiba will be sworn in by the Diet as Japan's 102nd prime minister on Oct 1, with Mr Kishida officially stepping down on the same day. The leader of the LDP becomes Japan's prime minister by default, as it is the dominant party in both chambers of Parliament.

The win caps an arduous climb to the pinnacle of Japanese politics for Mr Ishiba, whose past leadership bids failed due to his contrarian views and public spats with colleagues, including the late former prime minister Shinzo Abe.

Mr Ishiba pipped Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, 63, a staunch conservative and Abe protege, in a run-off contest between the top two finalists after the first round failed to produce an outright winner.