Japan’s LDP kicks off leadership race to pick Kishida successor

4 comments

1. Hi all. This is Emma Ockerman from Nikkei Asia. Is the LDP race something you want updates on? If so, happy to share our coverage. Here’s an excerpt from the link above:

   *Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party kicked off a two-week campaign on Thursday to pick its next leader to succeed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as it seeks to win back public trust eroded by a political funds scandal.*

   *The race to choose a new party president to replace Kishida in that role means the winner will also become prime minister early next month when the Diet, Japan’s parliament, reconvenes as the LDP dominates the legislature as the majority party.*

   *Nine candidates are vying for the position of party president, which carries a three-year term, and range from party veterans to younger lawmakers in their 40s. There are also two women running. The LDP has never had a female president and Japan has never had a woman serve as prime minister.*

   *The total number is the most ever under current party rules.*

   *The candidacies were filed at LDP headquarters in the morning. The official start of the election was announced by party lawmaker Ichiro Aisawa in his capacity as chairman of the LDP’s election administration committee.*

   *The winner will be decided by a total of 734 votes, of which 367 are cast by LDP lawmakers and 367 by general party members. Candidates will campaign by giving speeches and public debates until Sept. 27, the day of voting and ballot counting.*

   *A run-off vote between the top two candidates will be held on the same day if no one wins a majority in the first round. Kishida announced in mid August that he would* [*not seek reelection amid declining public support for the party*](https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Japan-s-leadership-race/Japan-s-Kishida-to-step-down-as-PM-after-LDP-picks-new-leader)*, which endured much criticism amid a months-long political funds scandal within the party that emerged late last year.*

2. More on this subject from other reputable sources:

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   – Al Jazeera (C+): [Nine candidates named in Japan’s leadership race](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/12/nine-candidates-named-in-japans-leadership-race)
   – japannews.yomiuri.co.jp (B): [Record 9 Running For Presidency of Japan’s Ruling LDP;Social Security, Political Reform Among Top Issues](https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/politics-government/20240912-210917/)
   – Bloomberg (B): [Japan’s Leadership Race Is Wide Open as Party Elders Retreat](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-12/japan-s-leadership-race-is-wide-open-as-party-elders-retreat)
   – Financial Times (A-): [Japan gears up for ‘wild west’ leadership race](https://www.ft.com/content/4b354025-3215-46d7-bb32-6cdda6aefd57)

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3. > Is the LDP race something you want updates on?

   No. It’s the LDP. It could be another old man, young woman, middle aged transgender person, whoever. The corruption goes deep, and way back to the massive help from CIA during their early era.

   Using this current useless race as a springboard, that could be an interesting story for you to expose and bring attention to—most Japanese people I have met have no clue about that whole history.

4. Exciting! Can’t wait to see which sleazebag they choose for their new leader! Will it be a guy with deep ties to the Unification Church? One of the slush fund party guys? Or someone whose parents and grandparents were also higher-ups in the LDP?