Japan’s next prime minister is a veteran politician with deep policy experience, a taste for curry and anime — and big challenges ahead of him.

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

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