Overview

• The Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership contest is being formally announced on September 22, with five contenders set to file.
• The race is expected to be competitive as the party seeks a path to govern after becoming a minority in both chambers following July’s upper house election.
• Candidates are centering their pitches on the shape of a governing framework to assemble a majority, near-term cost-of-living relief, and rebuilding the party.
• Voting gives equal weight to 295 Diet members and 295 party-member ballots, a structure that could force a runoff before a new leader is chosen on October 4.
• Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, who is running, drew criticism for calling Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s resignation “inevitable” and later withdrew a remark questioning a cash handout pledge, apologizing as inappropriate.