Japan’s Agriculture Minister Koizumi Joins LDP Leadership Race

TOKYO, Sept 20 (Bernama-Kyodo) – Japan’s Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Saturday he will run in next month’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election, pledging to boost the economy and revitalise the ruling party after its poor showing in recent national polls.

According to Kyodo News Agency, the 44-year-old son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said he is willing to expand the current ruling bloc, while promising to deal with perceived issues related to foreign tourists and residents.

Koizumi became the fifth, and likely final, LDP lawmaker to officially announce his candidacy for the party’s leadership election on Oct 4, in which the successor to outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will be chosen. Campaigning will start on Monday.

He and former Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi are considered the most likely winners, ahead of Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi, according to recent media polls.

“The LDP is in a crisis,” Koizumi told a press conference, pledging to promote economic measures as his “top priority” and bring about wage growth that outpaces rising living costs. He said he is targeting an average annual pay increase of 1 million yen (US$6,800) by fiscal 2030.

Koizumi said he will draw up an “action plan” by the end of the year to take measures to respond to issues of over-tourism, illegal foreign workers, land acquisition by foreign non-residents and foreign residents not correctly engaging with the public health insurance system.

Issues regarding tourists and foreign residents were at the centre of debate during the July 20 House of Councillors election, giving the small populist Sanseito opposition party, with its “Japanese First” slogan, a solid footing.

The LDP leadership contest comes as party head Ishiba said earlier this month that he would step down to take responsibility for major setbacks in recent national elections.

Koizumi reportedly persuaded Ishiba, who had sought to remain prime minister, to resign. After taking up the current post of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister in May, Koizumi’s efforts to address surging rice prices put him in the spotlight.

Koizumi has already secured backing from veteran lawmakers such as former Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato, who ran in last year’s LDP leadership election. Kato will head the campaign headquarters at Koizumi’s request.

The next LDP leader is not guaranteed to become prime minister, as the LDP-led ruling coalition with its junior partner, the Komeito party, does not hold a lower house majority.

The successful candidate needs to win a House of Representatives vote, with an opposition candidate set to stand against them.

The minority governing bloc needs support from opposition parties to pass budgets and bills, forcing the LDP, which has held power almost continuously since 1955, to consider how it can gain their support to retain control.

— BERNAMA-KYODO 

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