Farm Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has declared his intention to run for the leadership of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), setting the stage for a heated contest to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Speaking to supporters in Yokosuka, southwest of Tokyo, Koizumi emphasized the need for party unity following the LDP’s major defeat in the July House of Councillors election. “The LDP needs to become reunited as one,” he said, adding that he aims to push policies forward with renewed energy.
The leadership election, scheduled for October 4, is expected to feature Koizumi alongside four other contenders: former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi.
Koizumi, 44, is the son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. In last year’s LDP leadership race, he placed third after winning strong support among lawmakers but fell short in rank-and-file votes. His entry this time underscores the deep divisions within the party as it seeks a new direction after losing its majority in both chambers of parliament under Ishiba.