Former Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba was elected by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party Friday as its leader and, de facto, the next prime minister.

Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, a plain-spoken populist, won leadership of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party in a runoff vote on Friday.

Japan's ruling party will elect the successor to outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday in a race likely to decide the next leader of the nation.