TOKYO, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Lawmakers from Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) started voting for a new leader on Friday, with a record nine candidates competing to become the new party chief and virtually the country's next prime minister.

As both houses of parliament are controlled by the LDP and its coalition partner, the Komeito party, the winner of Friday's race is almost certain to be elected the country's prime minister in an extraordinary Diet session scheduled on Oct. 1.

Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, 67, 43-year-old Shinjiro Koizumi, who is former environment minister and son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, and female hopeful Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, 63, are considered frontrunners in the race.

Also running for the post are former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi, 49; Digital Minister Taro Kono, 61; Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, 71; Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, 63; LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, 68; and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, 68.

Upon current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's decision last month not to seek reelection as the LDP president, the election has become the most crowded race in the party's history and one of the most unpredictable.

LDP lawmakers started voting at 1:00 p.m. local time (0400 GMT) as the nine hopefuls competed for a total of 736 votes, of which 368 were cast by LDP lawmakers and 368 by rank-and-file party members.

A winner must obtain more than half of the votes in order to be elected as the new party chief, and if no one wins a majority in the first round, a run-off vote between the top two candidates will be held on the same day, when the 368 lawmakers vote a second time and the 47 prefectural chapters get one vote each.

As the three top contenders are likely to run neck and neck in the election, no clear winner is expected to emerge in the first round and the race is set to head to a runoff, according to Kyodo news analysis.

Whoever elected the party leader on Friday will be tasked with restoring public trust in politics after the party's political funds scandal involving unreported income and misuse of political funds, which led to the indictment of several lawmakers and damaged public support for the current government.

While the current term for the lower house lasts until October 2025, most candidates say they will call a snap election soon after taking office. Enditem

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