The nation set to elect woman prime minister in historic first
In the past twenty years, the country has seen more than 10 prime ministers.
In fact, one expert likens assuming the country's top job to taking a "poisoned chalice".
But why does Japan keep changing leaders? This is partly because of it being a "single-party system", says Prof James Brown of Temple University Japan.
The LDP's grip on the political landscape means the main political competition originates inside the party, instead of from external parties.
"So within the LDP there are vicious struggles within different factions - they all desire their own faction to secure the top job."
"So even though you could be selected as leader, as soon as you're in power, you have dozens of people scheming to try to remove you again."
Key Factors Behind Frequent Changes
- One-party dominance restricts outside challenges
- Internal factional rivalries fuel leadership contests
- The leadership role is frequently called a "cursed position"
- Government continuity remains difficult to achieve despite financial power
