Japan lawmaker Takaichi announces run for party leadership to replace PM Suga

Japanese lawmaker Sanae Takaichi speaks at a news conference to announce her running in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race to succeed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in Tokyo, Japan, September 8, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

(Corrects to "Wednesday" from "Monday" in the lead)

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese lawmaker Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday officially announced she would run in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race to succeed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who last week announced he would step down.

Takaichi, a conservative who aims to be the country's first female leader, will go up against former foreign minister Fumio Kishida, among others, in the Sept. 29 race.

The winner of the vote is all but assured to be Japan's next prime minister.

(This story corrects to "Wednesday" from "Monday" in the lead)

(Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto and Kantaro Komiya)

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