Yoshihide Suga won a ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election.

Suga, 71, son of a strawberry farmer in rural northern Japan is likely to become prime minister in a parliamentary vote this week.

Suga has said he will pursue his predecessor’s “Abenomics” recipe of hyper-easy monetary policy, government spending and reform and follow a diplomatic line centered on the US-Japan security alliance.

Shinzo Abe had resigned as Prime Minister last month over health issues.