As the ruling Liberal Democratic Party gets ready to pick its new leader Friday, one dark horse candidate has emerged as a front-runner in the race: economic security minister Sanae Takaichi.
Until recently, her prospects for leadership seemed cloudy, at best.
When she set up a study group late last year to discuss policy with like-minded lawmakers, only a dozen people showed up, raising doubts about whether she would be able to gather the 20 signatures needed to formally put forward her candidacy.
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