Jockeying Begins In Ldp Race To Replace Abe
One day after Japan's Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's surprise announcement of his resignation for health reasons, the battle to succeed him has already begun, with several candidates signaling their intentions to contest the premiership.
LDP Policy Research Council Chairperson Kishida Fumio says, "My commitment to continue working to become the next leader remains unchanged."
Former LDP Secretary-General Ishiba Shigeru says, "What will the people of the country think? If it is my duty to meet their expectations, I cannot think in a self-serving way."
A candidate wanting to succeed Abe will need to win the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party's presidency.
How and when that will happen is expected to be decided at a General Council meeting on Tuesday.
In normal circumstances, an open election would be held in which all 394 LDP party lawmakers plus an equal number of members nationwide vote.
But the party is now thinking of a faster option to avoid a political vacuum, the vote of all members of Parliament and just 141 prefectural members.
There are some more likely contenders. Former internal affairs minister Noda Seiko has also shown a readiness to join, while some party members are hopeful of a bid by Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide.
Defense Minister Kono Taro, Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu and LDP election strategy chief Shimomura Hakubun have said that they will discuss with their party allies whether to run.
Executive Acting Secretary-General of the LDP, Inada Tomomi, has long expressed an ambition to run for the leadership, but she said on a TV program that the bar is set very high.
On Saturday, high level LDP officials met and may have discussed when to hold an extraordinary Diet session to vote to select the next prime minister.
Some party executives insist the new party president should be chosen by September 15, in light of moves by opposition parties to merge into a new force.
