Japan's maverick Kono enters race for next PM
The Peninsula
Tokyo: Japan s outspoken, social media savvy digital transformation minister announced Monday that he was running to replace Fumio Kishida as prime mi...
Tokyo: Japan's outspoken, social media-savvy digital transformation minister announced Monday that he was running to replace Fumio Kishida as prime minister, saying he would look beyond domestic affairs and "help steer the world".
Taro Kono, 61, who was formerly the minister for foreign affairs, became the third lawmaker to declare their candidacy in a key vote next month to choose the ruling party's president -- and by extension, Japan's next leader.
He joins ex-defence minister Shigeru Ishiba, 67, and former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, 49, in the race.
"I will run for the Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election," Kono told a packed news conference Monday.
Touting his experience as foreign affairs chief, he added: "I can help steer the world."
