Ldp Leadership Contenders Reach Out To Members
Lawmakers vying to lead Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party are trying to gain support ahead of the LDP presidential election on September 14.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide announced his priorities online on Saturday.
Suga released a slogan emphasizing "self-help, mutual help, public assistance, and social bonds".
He said he will revitalize the economy while preventing the spread of the coronavirus. He added he will work to secure vaccines for every citizen of Japan by the middle of next year.
His other priorities include overcoming sectionalism among government agencies and revitalizing the economy of rural areas.
Suga plans to work at the Prime Minister's Office on Sunday to deal with a powerful typhoon ripping through southwestern Japan.
Two other contenders traveled outside Tokyo separately to garner support from local chapters.
LDP policy chief and former foreign minister Kishida Fumio visited Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures and met party members there.
Former LDP secretary-general Ishiba Shigeru visited the city of Fukuoka and appeared on a TV program.
Of the three, Suga has already secured support from most of the party's largest factions. Kishida and Ishiba plan to make more trips and release their policy ideas online to gain support from local chapters.
The election campaign will officially start on Tuesday. On September 14, 394 LDP lawmakers will vote to choose the new leader. In addition, local chapters representing the country's 47 prefectures will have three votes each.
On September 16, the new party president will be virtually assured to win a vote on the premiership in the Diet, as it is controlled by an LDP-led coalition.
The person will succeed Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, who announced last month his intention to step down to deal with his health.
