Shigeru Ishiba (top R), the new head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), smiles as he attends an extraordinary session of the lower house of parliament to select a new prime minister in Tokyo on October 1, 2024. Ishiba was set on October 1 to become Japanese prime minister, seeking to restore the ruling party's popularity and tackle a demographic crisis, a lacklustre economy and fears over China's military build-up. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP) (Photo by YUICHI YAMAZAKI/AFP via Getty Images)