Japan’s Investors Raise Bets on Kono in Leadership Race

Japan’s Investors Raise Bets on Kono in Leadership Race
Taro Kono, who heads Japan's vaccine rollout and was the country's former foreign and defence minister, speaks during a press conference to announces his run for leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo on Sept. 10, 2021. Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images
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TOKYO—Japan’s stock investors have raised bets Taro Kono will become the country’s next prime minister, snatching up renewable energy and office technology shares that are expected to benefit under his economic policies.

At the same time, investors are now trimming holdings of some medical service shares that had previously benefited on now fading expectations former foreign minister Fumio Kishida, an advocate of spending in that sector, could succeed outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.