from Asia Unbound and Asia Program The LDP Leadership Race: Six More Join, a Field of Nine

Thursday, September 12, marks the official start of the campaign for president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). September has brought six more candidates to the race, creating the largest field of candidates in the party’s history. Of the nine, two are women, two are under fifty-years-old, and all have governing experience in the Cabinet. Three are currently serving in the Kishida Cabinet.

For the next two weeks, party debates will be organized, stump speeches will proliferate, and social media will be in full campaign throttle. Some have presented formal policy statements, all of which are available on the party’s website. Ideas matter, but so too will the less predictable variable—who can regain public trust and persuade Japan’s voters that the LDP can change? Five of the nine candidates are first-time candidates for their party’s highest office.

LDP grassroots members and legislators will choose their next leader on September 27 and whether s/he can lead them to victory in the next general election. Two have been the party’s Secretary-General—Ishiba and Motegi, and thus, have led their party during national elections. Three have chaired the LDP’s Policy Research Council, which is responsible for drafting the party’s policy platform. To date, two candidates, Ishiba and Koizumi, consistently emerged as the most popular in media polling.