Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced his resignation after less than a year in the role - following two crushing election losses in mid-term elections.
His resignation came a day before opponents in his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) were expected to vote him out.
This sets the stage for yet another leadership contest in Tokyo, only the third in five years, along with two national elections where no winning candidates completed their terms.
The new leader will have the daunting task of balancing fraught relations with the US, rising inflation and a cost of living crisis, as well as a government that has lost its majority in both houses of parliament.
Shinjiro Koizumi, Yoshimasa Hayashi, and Sanae Takaichi have emerged as potential contenders for the prime ministerial position. Whoever wins will need to unite a divided party and win back voters who have drifted towards far-right parties like Sanseito.
The next PM must also handle the country's rising living costs and navigate complex international relations, particularly with China and North Korea.
With rapid changes in leadership often seen in Japan, the public expresses a sense of despair and skepticism about whether a new leader will truly make a difference.
