Japan's ruling party begins leadership election campaign with 5 candidates

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) officially launched its leadership election campaign on Monday, with five candidates entering the race.

Former Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi, who is aiming to become Japan's first female prime minister, and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi, son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, are leading in media polls, according to Kyodo News.

A Jiji Press survey of 2,000 voters placed Koizumi in the lead with 23.8% support, followed by Takaichi at 21%.

The LDP leadership vote, originally scheduled for 2027, was moved forward after Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation on Sept. 7, following the coalition’s defeat in July’s upper house elections. Ishiba will remain prime minister until the party elects a new leader.

Also running in the Oct. 4 election are Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi.

The next chief of the LDP, however, is not guaranteed to become prime minister as the ruling coalition — comprising the LDP and its junior partner, the Komeito party — does not hold a majority in the House of Representatives.

With the minority coalition relying on opposition support to pass legislation, cooperation with opposition parties is expected to be a key campaign issue, along with party reform and efforts to address rising living costs.