Japan's former minister announces intention to contest LDP's leadership election

Tokyo, Sep 18 (IANS) Japan's former Internal Affairs minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday announced her plan to contest in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election, completing the field of major contenders for the race to become Japan's PM following Shigeru Ishiba.

Takaichi, who hopes to become Japan's first female PM, expressed her intention to run in the October 4 presidential election during a meeting with former Japanese PM Taro Aso, Japan's leading Kyodo News agency reported.

Sanae Takaichi (64), who shares former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe's views regarding national security, is being seen as one of the most promising candidates, along with Farm Minister and former PM Junichiro Koizumi's son Shinjiro Koizumi.

Speaking to reporters, she said, "What is needed now is politics that can turn our anxieties about life and the future into hope." She is set to hold a press conference to discuss her policies on Friday.

Five candidates, including Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, is expected to contest in the LDP leadership race.

Initially, the vote was planned for 2027 at the end of Ishiba's three-year term. However, it is set to take place early as Ishiba in August announced that he would resign to take responsibility for LDP's loss in the House of Councillors election that took place on July 20.

On September 16, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced his plan to contest in the ruling LDP leadership election, while farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi also signalled his intention to join the race. Former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi has also expressed his intention to contest in the LDP leadership race.

In a post on social media, Hayashi wrote, "I will draw on all of my experience and achievements to lead a new government that delivers both stability and growth," before committing to work on keeping "the momentum of wage hikes that outpace rising living costs" while addressing a press conference.

Hayashi has previously served as foreign, defence, education and agriculture minister and is close to former Japanese PM Fumio Kishida.

--IANS

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