Japan’s ruling party looks increasingly set to call an early leadership election, according to local media surveys, an outcome that would likely result in the departure of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and heightened uncertainty for investors.
Of 342 Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers and regional representatives eligible to participate in Monday’s vote on whether to bring forward the leadership race, some 149 are in favor and 48 opposed, according to a poll conducted by the Yomiuri newspaper on Friday.
Separately, a survey from Kyodo released the same day showed 120 lawmakers out of 295 would seek an early race.
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