On Thursday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide spoke at a meeting at a hotel in Tokyo attended by over 10 senior members of the five LDP factions that support him. Supporters of Suga who do not belong to any factions also attended. Suga said he will continue the work of the Abe administration and devote his body and soul to overcome the current crisis and work for the country.

The Suga supporters confirmed that they will soon launch their campaign office.

LDP policy chief and former foreign minister Kishida Fumio announced his policies for the presidential race at a news conference in Tokyo.

Kishida said the battle with the coronavirus has revealed major problems -- economic and other gaps in Japan and division in the international community. He stressed the importance of his slogan "from division to cooperation."

He said he will promote economic policies focusing on middle-income people, such as raising the minimum wage and reducing the cost of education and housing. He also floated a plan to promote the use of digital technology in rural areas.

He also said he will use his past experience as foreign minister to push for "soft power diplomacy" that makes use of Japan's science, technology, and culture.

Ishiba Shigeru, former LDP Secretary-General and former defense minister, visited a dentist inside the Diet for a regular checkup.

He told reporters that he gets his teeth checked once a week, and it's one of the few occasions where he can relax and rest. He said Japan, as a country, also needs regular checkups to find problems before they become too serious.

Later on Thursday, Ishiba plans to visit fellow LDP lawmakers to ask for their support and to set up his campaign office at a hotel in Tokyo.