Fumio Kishida will not have much time to bask in his victory in the race for leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and, hence, the next prime minister, as he will soon face a major test in the form of a general election.
With the current terms of House of Representatives members ending on Oct. 21, a nationwide vote must be held by Nov. 28. The result will decide whether the former foreign minister will govern with a strong mandate or risk a short tenure like his predecessor, Yoshihide Suga.
The immediate task at hand for Kishida is launching his Cabinet with strong approval ratings and keeping them high. He will also need to drum up support for the LDP after its approval ratings slumped under Suga and his government's much-criticized COVID-19 policies.