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3d ago

Hayashi Enters Japan’s LDP Leadership Contest as Koizumi Prepares Bid Before Oct. 4 Vote

The vote will choose Shigeru Ishiba’s replacement following ruling-bloc losses in both houses of the Diet.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, a candidate for Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) presidential election, speaks during a debate at the Nixon Kisha Club in Tokyo, Japan September 14, 2024. Takashi Aoyama/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi speaks during a tasting event of stockpiled rice in Tokyo, Japan May 29, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
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Overview

  • Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced his candidacy, saying he aims to lead a government that delivers stability and growth.
  • Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told supporters he intends to run, with Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato set to lead his campaign operation ahead of a formal declaration this week.
  • Former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and ex–economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi have already declared, with Kobayashi proposing a time-limited fixed-rate tax cut focused on younger and working-age voters.
  • Former internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to announce a bid, and a Yomiuri poll places her first at 29% with Koizumi second at 25%, while Koizumi leads among LDP supporters 33% to 28%.
  • Official campaigning begins Monday, first-round votes by lawmakers and rank-and-file members are weighted equally, and debates in the next three weeks are expected to influence momentum ahead of the Oct. 4 ballot.