Eleven Names Are Raised for Candidates

The Liberal Democratic Party decided that it would have its presidential election on September 27. While the rules for presidential election requires each candidates endorsement from twenty party lawmakers, eleven people are listed up by news organizations as possible contenders regardless they would be successful in achieving that endorsement. It is likely that internal struggle for getting majority votes will be heated up.

At the time of announcement of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for not running in the next LDP presidential election, there were only a few names for possible candidates. Former Minister of Defense and former LDP Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba was the top runner, because he had always been the first choice for next prime minister in the polls of news organizations. LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi was another choice as he had been indicating his running for the president.

 

In his press conference for announcing stepping down, Kishida hoped the election would be the contest by candidates as many as possible to show the way of reforming the party. Prompted by Kishida’s suggestion, young lawmakers began to step forward. Takayuki Kobayashi, former Minister for Economic Security, announced his running as the first one among possible candidates. While he appeals conservative stance as a lawmaker to accept votes from the right, Kobayashi has not determined his campaign policies.

 

Ishiba is supposed to be the second candidate to declare candidacy. He had run for the president for four times. While he was an outsider under hegemony of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, assassination of Abe and decline of Abe faction by the slush fund scandal brought Ishiba a hopeful opportunity.

 

Other lawmakers who had run for the president should be the possible candidates. Minister for Digital Affairs Taro Kono, Minister for Economic Security Sanae Takaichi and former Minister on Measures for Declining Birthrate Seiko Noda lost to Kishida in the previous election three years ago. All of them are willing to run again in September. Kono achieved an approval for running from his factional boss, Taro Aso. Takaichi is collecting colleagues in conservative groups for her nomination. Noda also revealed her hope for running.

 

Some lawmakers who were spotlighted as a cabinet minister are listed as possible contenders against the leaders. Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa, Chief Cabinet Secretary (CCS) Yoshimasa Hayashi, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ken Saito, former CCS in Suga Cabinet Katsunobu Kato and former Minister of Environment Shinjiro Koizumi have indicated their hope to run.

 

It is the time for those possible candidates to consider their campaign strategy. The key element is how to secure twenty lawmakers for endorsement to make a candidacy. It is possible that some colleagues are taken by rivals to form majority of the voters. Invisible struggle is ongoing in the party to secure enough supporters.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amendment of Local Autonomy Law

The House of Representatives started discussion on revision of the Local Autonomy Law, which would vest the national government a power to instruct local government in an emergency. It may change the relationship between the national and local government, which has been recognized as equal. The opposition parties oppose the amendment, arguing that it would give the national government an excessive power.   With the Meiji Restoration, the national government abolished the feudal system, introducing modern governance. However, its autonomy was not sufficient. The governor of each prefecture was appointed by the national government. The local governments subordinated to the national government. It was as late as 2000 when  the Comprehensive Decentralization Law  was enacted and the relationship between the national and local government was defined as equal.   The national government found inconvenience in the relationship between the national and local government, when ...
Read more

Request for Final Nuclear Disposal Site

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry requested Genkai Town, Saga, to accept “literature survey” for building a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste. Genkai is going to answer within this month. If it accepts, it will be the third place to accept that survey, following two places in Hokkaido. Main reason to accept the survey is supposed to be subsidy from the national government.   Japan has no final disposal site. Among all 54 reactors in 17 nuclear power generation plant, 12 reactors of 6 plants are operating. The rest of them are not in operation, some of which are determined to be decommissioned. Used nuclear fuels are stocked in each plant, 　 or have sent to a reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Aomori. There are two plans to stock nuclear wastes in the intermediate facility for disposal, one is already built and another is still in negotiation.   Nuclear Fuel Final Disposal Act in 2000 determines to bury nuclear waste in the underground. Literature survey, ...
Read more

Not A Royal Wedding

The bride called her husband an indispensable existence and their marriage was necessary choice to protect their mind. The groom insisted on his life as only once and his right to be with his loved one. Her father wanted his daughter’s marriage to be celebrated by the people. The people were not sure whether the family was happy as a whole. Is this the traditional Japanese social system that makes no one happy? Mako Komuro, as known as Princess Mako during her life in one of the royal family Akishino, held on Tuesday a press conference with her husband Kei Komuro, right after submitting marriage report to local government. It was something different from ordinary Q&A session, because Mako was afraid of her mental uneasiness brought by some questions not based on truth. So, the event was actually one-sided speech to the reporters. Mako emphasized that the Kei’s decision of studying abroad five years ago had not been his original idea, but a result of her request to establish an over...
Read more