Who will replace Kishida to become Japan’s new prime minister?

TOKYO (AP) — The governing party of outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida holds a key vote Friday that will establish a new national leader.

The vote is limited to the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s parliamentarians and dues-paying members. Because the party’s governing coalition dominates parliament, the winner is assured to be Japan’s next prime minister.

A record nine lawmakers, including two women, are vying for the job in an unpredictable race.

The winner must quickly regain public trust, or Japan could face a return to a damaging cycle of short-lived governments, experts say.

How does the election work?

The vote is limited to LDP lawmakers and 1.1 million grassroots members. That’s less than 1% of the country’s eligible voters.

No candidate is expected to win a majority in the first round of voting because of split votes, so the winner will probably be determined in a runoff between the top two vote-getters.

LDP leadership votes used to be determined by the party’s powerful faction leaders, but experts say that may change this time because all but one of the six factions has announced their dissolution following the party’s corruption scandals.

The vote is crucial for the LDP, which is looking for a leader who can revive public support for the party after scandals that hurt Kishida’s popularity.

What does the vote mean for Japan?

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Experts say this election could mark a return to an era similar to the early 2000s,