On Thursday, September 12, a record nine Japanese lawmakers officially entered the competition to succeed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as the leader of the ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and the country’s leader. They hope to regain public support for the party following political funding corruption scandals.
The LDP presidential election, scheduled for September 27, is restricted to party members and 1 million grassroots members who have paid membership fees. Due to the dominant position of the ruling coalition, currently composed of the LDP and the Komeito Party, in the parliament, the winner is likely to become the next prime minister.
At this critical juncture of the election, Japan is seeking to play a greater role in regional security, economy, and diplomacy to counter threats from China, North Korea, and Russia.
Kishida, who took office in 2021, supported rapid military expansion and doubling defense spending. Last month, he announced his intention to step down after three years as party leader and prime minister in order for the new leader to move the party forward from the damage caused by corruption scandals.
Among the nine candidates, there are two women. With a large number of candidates, it is expected that no one will secure a majority in the first round of voting, leading to a potential second round.
Many candidates emphasize their ability to bring about reforms to address pressing issues in Japan such as declining birth rates, stagnant incomes, gender inequality, and security threats.
Former Defense Minister and popular figure Shigeru Ishiba, in a 10-minute policy speech at the party headquarters, pledged to do his utmost to protect Japan and called for the establishment of an Asian version of NATO. He pointed out that missiles test-fired by North Korea had fallen into waters near the western coast of Japan.
Another prominent candidate, Shinjiro Koizumi, son of former popular Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and former Environment Minister, vowed to accelerate reform to create a society with more choices for people. He advocated for allowing married women to retain their maiden names, a reform that has been delayed for decades by conservative factions within his party.
Taro Kono, another popular candidate who previously served as Defense Minister and Foreign Minister under the Kishida government, said Japan should not rely solely on U.S. protection and should play a greater role in regional security. He stated that unlike previous leadership elections that mainly focused on domestic issues, this election is about shaping the world.
Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, who aims to become Japan’s first female prime minister, stated, “I stand at the starting line here, which indicates that the LDP has undergone a major transformation, a significant step forward.”
In the past, leadership elections within the party were driven by power struggles among rival factions, usually based on seniority, with leaders supporting a candidate from their own faction. However, following a political funding scandal, Kishida implemented reforms by dissolving all factions except the one led by former Prime Minister Taro Aso, allowing more candidates, including young lawmakers, to stand out.
Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, Party Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi, and former Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Katsunobu Kato also participated in the election.
Starting from Thursday, candidates will engage in campaign activities nationwide to attract support from party members and participate in joint speeches and debates held in Tokyo.
In the past, the LDP’s factional politics funding scandals led to a significant drop in public support for the party and the current cabinet. In this context, the LDP hopes that electing a new president will bring a sense of “refreshment” and boost support for the cabinet among the public. Historically, changes in Japanese prime ministers have often resulted in a significant increase in public support.
Fumio Kishida took office in October 2021 as Japan’s 100th Cabinet Prime Minister. He implemented new capitalism in domestic economic policy and strengthened the Japan-U.S. alliance in international affairs. He enhanced Japan’s defense capabilities, united all possible forces to counter China and North Korea, confronted Russia, supported Ukraine, and actively maintained peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, receiving praise for his foreign policy.
(This article was inspired by the reporting of the Associated Press.)