Japan Ruling Party Leadership Race Begins With Record 9 Candidates

TOKYO, Sept 12 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- A 15-day campaign began Thursday to select a successor to outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, with a record nine candidates competing to rebuild Japan's ruling party as its new chief in the wake of a political funds scandal and win back voter confidence, Kyodo news agency reported.

Whoever wins the Sept. 27 election, the next president of the Liberal Democratic Party will also need to tackle price hikes exceeding wage growth as well as security challenges posed by an assertive China and a nuclear-armed North Korea.

The new leader is certain to become prime minister as both houses of parliament are controlled by the LDP and its coalition partner, the Komeito party. Komeito is also set to elect its new leader this month as is the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

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Party renewal is a common pledge among the LDP leadership contenders, including two young hopefuls in their 40s and two women seeking to become Japan's first-ever female prime minister. Four are current members of Kishida's Cabinet.

The wide field reflects in part the waning influence of intraparty factions, which were at the center of the money scandal, with individual candidates free to decide whether to throw their hats in the ring. Most factions have now disbanded or decided to do so.

Among public favorites, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, 67, is making his fifth and final bid to become LDP chief, describing it as the "culmination" of his 38-year political career, during which he has gained recognition as a policy expert in security, agriculture and regional revitalization.

Another familiar face and rising star in the LDP, Shinjiro Koizumi, 43, is aiming to follow his father Junichiro Koizumi, a reformer and one of the most popular premiers in the postwar era, into the prime minister's office.

While some point to the younger Koizumi's lack of experience, others see his potential to become the new face of the party.

After getting the go-ahead from Kishida, Digital Minister Taro Kono, 61, a political maverick and social media-savvy lawmaker, was the first among current Cabinet members to announce his bid.

The outspoken former foreign and defence minister was defeated in a runoff with Kishida in the previous LDP leadership election in 2021.

Kishida's right-hand man, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, 63, is making his second bid to become party leader. Like Ishiba, he is well-versed in various fields such as diplomacy, education and agriculture.

Yoko Kamikawa, 71, took time to secure the support of 20 lawmakers, a requirement for any candidate to run. The former justice minister is one of the two female candidates.

Both Hayashi and Kamikawa are from a now-defunct faction of relatively moderate lawmakers that has produced five premiers, including Kishida.

Also running are several conservative lawmakers who are expected to appeal to LDP members who shared the political vision of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, 63, who touts her affinity for Abe, is running for the second time, vowing to make Japan "stronger and richer."

Former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, 49, and former health minister Katsunobu Kato, 68, who served as the top government spokesmen under Abe's successor Yoshihide Suga, are joining the race as first-timers, potentially splitting the conservative vote.

LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi, 68, has already rocked the boat by apparently distancing himself from a key government tax plan while serving as the No.2 in the ruling party.

The former foreign minister said that if elected, he would not resort to raising taxes to finance part of a substantial planned spending increase to boost defense capabilities.

If no candidate wins an outright majority of the 734 votes -- 367 from LDP lawmakers and another 367 from rank-and-file members -- a runoff vote will be held the same day between the top two candidates, with 367 votes from lawmakers and 47 rank-and-file votes allocated to each of Japan's 47 prefectures.

The deadline for voting by rank-and-file members is scheduled for Sept 26 and the next LDP chief will be selected for a three-year term on Sept 27.

The leader would then be elected prime minister in parliament, possibly on Oct 1.

--BERNAMA-KYODO