On September 27, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election will take place to decide who will take over from Fumio Kishida as Japan’s next prime minister. Nine candidates have thrown their hats in the ring, a record number. With the 15-day campaign to secure the most votes starting today, we thought we’d take a closer look at the runners and riders.
Shinjiro Koizumi, 43
Son of the former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and brother to famous actor Kotaro, Shinjiro Koizumi is the poster boy of the election. The former Minister of the Environment has the backing of ex-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and says he wants to break with Japan’s outdated politics. “We have lost public trust at a time when Japan is in a crisis,” commented Koizumi at a recent press conference. “The political funds issue exactly mirrors the old LDP.”
Shigeru Ishiba, 67
One of the early favorites, Shigeru Ishiba is running in his fifth party presidential election. Last month, the former Defense Minister topped a Kyodo News opinion poll as the candidate people considered most suitable to succeed Kishida as prime minister, with 25.3% of the vote. Known as a “gunji otaku” (military geek), Ishiba has expressed his desire to “create an Asian version of NATO” and make the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement more equal.
Taro Kono, 61
The current Minister for Digital Transformation, Taro Kono is a popular figure online with more than 2.5 million followers on X (and close to 80,000 on his English page). Known as a maverick, in the past his outspoken views have put him at odds with some of the party’s conservative elders. He has come out in favor of same-sex marriages and allowing married couples to have separate surnames. In 2021, he lost to Kishida in a run-off.
Sanae Takaichi, 63
The current economic security minister, Sanae Takaichi is one of the most hawkish of the nine candidates and often cites Margaret Thatcher as her role-model. She is keen to revise Japan’s pacifist Constitution as soon as possible and opposes same-sex marriage as well as dual surnames after marriage. During a press conference on Monday, she said she would be prioritizing economic growth. Takaichi was eliminated in the first round of voting during the last LDP presidential election.
Toshimitsu Motegi, 68
Described by Donald Trump as “too tough” when he served as the country’s representative for a U.S.-Japan trade agreement, Toshimitsu Motegi was appointed as the Secretary-General of the LDP by Kishida following the 2021 general elections. The relationship between the pair, however, has long been seen as strained and the situation worsened following the slush funds scandal. Motegi has never hidden his ambition to lead the party. Some members of Kishida’s circle believe he betrayed the PM.
Takayuki Kobayashi, 49
The first candidate to officially throw his hat in the ring, Takayuki Kobayashi is a Harvard-educated politician who served in the Kishida Cabinet as Minister for Economic Security from 2021 to 2022. Announcing his candidacy on August 19, he said, “The LDP will be reborn.” The 49-year-old is relatively popular with the younger members of the party who want to revamp its image. Kobayashi, who describes himself as a conservative, endorsed Takaichi in the 2021 election.
Yoko Kamikawa, 71
A potential dark-horse, Yoko Kamikawa began her current role as the Minister for Foreign Affairs last September. She made a surprise visit to Kyiv in January and was forced to escape to an underground bomb shelter following a Russian missile attack. Between September 2020 and October 2021, Kamikawa served as the Justice Minister, during which time she ordered 16 executions. Earlier this year, ex-Prime Minister Taro Aso described her as a “rising star” within the party, but also made disparaging remarks about her looks.
Katsunobu Kato, 68
The LDP’s Chief Cabinet Secretary from 2020 to 2021, Katsunobu Kato is seen as one of the outsiders. He announced his intention to run on Tuesday, becoming the eighth candidate to do so. During the press conference, he spoke about the slush funds scandal, stating that he understands “the anger of the people who are not satisfied.” Kato set forth his plan to double incomes while also reducing school lunches, child care and childbirth costs to zero.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, 63
The Minister for Foreign Affairs from November 2021 to September 2023, Yoshimasa Hayashi was named as the LDP’s Chief Cabinet Secretary last December after Hirokazu Matsuno resigned due to the slush funds scandal. Next year, he will be celebrating three decades as a lawmaker and would like to put his “experience and achievements to use for the good of the country.” Hayashi has proposed a new independent agency to regulate the financing of electoral campaigns.
