The Liberal Democratic Party’s longtime coalition partner Komeito is pinning its hopes on a new leader after a lackluster performance in October’s Lower House election, in which it lost a quarter of its seats.
As the party picks up the pieces from the defeat, transport minister Tetsuo Saito, 72, is set to formally succeed Keiichi Ishii, 66, as Komeito’s leader at a party convention on Saturday.
Saito — who won his own race in Hiroshima, in contrast to Ishii — is regarded as an experienced veteran able to steer the party out of its current predicament. Before serving in the Cabinet for three years under different LDP administrations, Saito had spent many years in the party leadership, serving as policy chief, secretary-general and deputy leader.
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