Yasuo Fukuda, a Japanese Liberal Democratic party (LDP) elder, stepped from the shadows on Friday as the most likely successor to Shinzo Abe who resigned as prime minister this week.

Mr Fukuda, 71, has won the broad support of parliamentarians in the ruling LDP, including the party’s largest faction. That means he has replaced Taro Aso, 66, party secretary-general, as frontrunner to succeed Mr Abe.