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16h ago

Takaichi, Hayashi Enter LDP Leadership Race as Kingmaker Courtship Begins

The winner will still need to secure a parliamentary majority to become prime minister.

Sanae Takaichi speaks before a runoff election at the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. Hiro Komae/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
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Overview

  • Sanae Takaichi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi formally declared bids on Thursday, joining Toshimitsu Motegi and Takayuki Kobayashi in the accelerated contest to replace Shigeru Ishiba.
  • Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is expected to announce his candidacy at a press conference this weekend, positioning him among the leading contenders.
  • Voting is set for October 4, with official campaigning to begin Monday and the final candidate list due September 22.
  • Polling places Takaichi and Koizumi at the front of the pack, including a Kyodo survey showing Takaichi at 28% and Koizumi at 22.5% as the most suitable LDP leaders.
  • Senior figures Taro Aso and Fumio Kishida are being courted as potential deciders in a likely runoff, with their networks already aligning with rival camps.