Japan’s governing party has picked former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba as its leader, setting him up to become prime minister next week.

Ishiba will succeed Fumio Kishida, who reshaped Japan’s role in the international community but last month announced he would step down amid record-low approval ratings.

Japan's incoming prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, said he wanted to clean up his ruling party, revitalise the economy and see off security threats from powerful neighbours after triumphing in his fifth and what he called final leadership bid on Friday.