In Japan’s race to replace Kishida, ex-defence chief Shigeru Ishiba throws hat into ring

Kishida will step down next month, ending a three-year term as leader of the world’s fourth-largest economy.

Within days of the prime minister’s declaration, local media has speculated about nearly a dozen possible candidates.

Before Ishida declared his bid, former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi, 49, was the first to announce his candidacy.

Others whose names have been floated around as possible candidates include former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 43, three of the party’s female veterans, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi and former Gender Equality Minister Seiko Noda, as well as past runners-up, Digital Minister Taro Kono.

Each candidate needs support from 20 party lawmakers to run which usually requires time to drum up.

The LDP election committee chief Ichiro Aisawa said on August 20 that his party takes seriously the loss of public trust due to the scandals and that it has set a 15-day campaign period, instead of the usual 12 days, beginning September 12 so voters have more time to study the candidates’ visions and policies.

He also called on potential candidates to make their campaign as frugal as possible, “taking into consideration the public criticisms over money and politics.”

Voters will cast their ballots in a system that divides power between the party’s elected lawmakers and its membership at large, with each group getting 50 per cent of the vote.

Additional reporting from the Associated Press