Japan’s Surprise Kingmaker Tamaki Has Shot at Becoming PM

Less than a year ago, Yuichiro Tamaki was fighting to retain the leadership of his own opposition party amid reports of an extramarital affair. Now, the 56-year-old athletics fan is in the running to lead the nation, with the identity of the next administration largely in his grasp.

The collapse of the ruling coalition last week has catapulted Tamaki into a position where he could become prime minister with the support of three opposition parties including his Democratic Party for the People. That’s a potential outcome that seemed like wishful thinking just days ago as the ruling party’s new leader Sanae Takaichi was getting lauded as Japan’s first female prime minister-in-waiting.