Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba is back in the spotlight.
Ishiba and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are likely to face off in the Sept. 20 vote to select the next leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which will also determine who is the nation's next prime minister.
Abe, supported by a majority of LDP lawmakers, is projected to win. But Ishiba is still ready to fight, working to stir public debate over policy issues to win as many votes as possible and retain his political clout after the election.