Digital minister Taro Kono and former defence minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed their readiness to run in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election in September, according to The Japan Times.
As the last parliamentary session ended on Sunday, internal manoeuvring within the LDP ahead of the September election has begun in earnest. Meanwhile, more and more lawmakers are openly expressing their dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Kono and Ishiba seem to have already made up their minds. Although they do not have much support in the LDP, both are considered two of the country’s most popular politicians. Kono previously ran for LDP leader in 2009.
In 2021, he lost to Kishida in the second round of voting despite a strong performance during the first round. As a member of Kishida’s administration, the minister is unlikely to enter the race until just before the start.
Meanwhile, Ishiba demonstrated his eagerness to participate in the LDP presidential election. According to local media, he will run in the September election with the aim of revitalising a party tarnished with a recent political fund scandal.
It would be great if various people with different ideas put themselves forward for the presidential election and people took interest in the vote.
Kishida and Ishiba dined with other LDP lawmakers on Thursday night before the prime minister went to another dinner with LDP General Affairs Chairman Hiroshi Moriyama.
Only once in LDP history has a challenger defeated a sitting president running for office. In 1978, then-Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda lost to Masayoshi Ohira.
Other potential candidates include economic security minister Sanae Takaichi and LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi.
