Japan's largest political party has a new leader, but the country still does not have a new prime minister. And there's an important political visit on the calendar in less than two weeks.
Japan's short-term political future remains in limbo. For the past 26 years, the Liberal Democratic Party has held power in the Legislature thanks to a coalition with its junior partner, Komeito.
That relationship has now unraveled following the selection of Sanae Takaichi as LDP president.
She's a political conservative who identifies with Margaret Thatcher, a protégé of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and has served in Japan's parliament for more than three decades.
She's also the first woman to serve as LDP president, and potentially Japan's first woman Prime Minister — if she can rally the parliamentary support.
Last week, Komeito dropped out of the coalition, citing a political funding scandal in the LDP, while also mentioning issues with Takaichi's position on Japan's wartime history.
The new LDP president is now scrambling to find new political partners.
On Wednesday, Takaichi held back-to-back meetings with leaders of three opposition parties that stretched into the evening.
Late Wednesday, Japanese media reported that a delayed parliamentary vote on the new prime minister is now expected next Tuesday. And that will be less than a week before President Trump's expected arrival in Tokyo.
