TOKYO — Shigeru Ishiba became Japan's new prime minister on Tuesday, seeking to restore his ruling party's popularity and tackle a demographic crisis, a lackluster economy and fears over China's military buildup.

Ishiba, 67, said he intended to call a general election for October 27. He won a tight race last Friday to lead the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed the East Asian country almost without interruption for decades.

Premium + Digital Edition

Ad-free access


P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
  • Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
  • Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)

TRY FREE FOR 14 DAYS
See details
See details