Shinjiro Koizumi could be leading contender in Japan’s leadership election | Wilnesh News

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party will elect a new leader in September and, in turn, the country’s next prime minister.

Nearly a dozen candidates are in the running, with many analysts calling the field competitive and unpredictable. The unusually broad and open competition is the result of an attempt to eliminate “factional politics” within the party, although factional ties appear to remain strong. Factions are small organized groups within the LDP with their own leadership and policy goals.

Shinjiro Koizumi, one of the potential front-runners, will hold a press conference Announced candidacy on September 6.

The 43-year-old son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is expected to be the youngest candidate in the race. Together with 49-year-old Kobayashi Takayuki, who has already announced his candidacy, these two contenders are seen as choices for generational change in the party’s selection.

Former Environment Minister Junichiro Koizumi is known for his advocacy of renewable energy. he made headlines Surfing near Fukushima Help eliminate water safety concerns following treated wastewater discharge and become First sitting cabinet minister to take paternity leave in Japan.

While the public awaits formal announcements of potential candidates, Junichiro Koizumi is by far the closest to the front-runner, said Rintaro Nishimura, an analyst at Asia Group in Japan.

“His father’s legacy, as a popular reformist populist Liberal Democratic Party chairman/prime minister, and the fact that he is seen as scandal-free and fresh compared to other candidates, especially in the current environment, is making him an attractive candidate.

Nishimura said Koizumi is likely to win votes from Liberal Democratic Party members of parliament and ordinary members of parliament across Japan.

The winner of the LDP election needs a majority of the vote. If no candidate receives an absolute majority, the two candidates with the most votes advance to a runoff.

“This time, as LDP MPs look ahead to next year’s general election, many of them are worried about their survival – whether they can keep their seats, especially younger MPs with fewer terms in office,” Nishimura said.

“I think it’s not a safe bet this time, it’s more about which candidate can win the election, and in this case, someone as popular as Koizumi will naturally become one of the most popular.”

Koizumi also became one of them. Most popular choice among the public. A poll conducted by local newspaper Asahi Shimbun showed that Koizumi and Ishiba were tied nationwide at 21%. However, according to opinion polls, Junichiro Koizumi has the highest approval rating among LDP supporters, at 28%, while Ishiba’s approval rating is 23%.

But there are questions about Koizumi’s level of experience and policy prospects.

Tobias Harris, founder of consultancy Japan Foresight, said in a report Recent online postsWhile Koizumi holds “the greatest potential to fundamentally change the campaign,” his resume is weak. He has not held a top leadership position in the party or a top cabinet post.

“He is an effective campaigner who has worked on a range of issues, but his limited foreign policy experience may be a particular weakness in the LDP leadership election, which has been affected by the U.S. presidential election and Implications for the prospect of a second election.

Little is known about his economic policies, either.

“To my knowledge, Koizumi has not commented on the normalization of BOJ policy,” Harris told CNBC.

“We can make certain inferences — he’s been worried about fiscal policy and deficits, he’s associated with (former defense minister) Shigeru Ishiba and other critics of Abenomics — but I don’t think we know for sure yet. Overall Said that, except for the right wing, the party favors normalization.

Nicholas Smith, Japan strategist at CLSA, said it was premature for Junichiro Koizumi to take over the top job.

“It’s all about experience. He’s been elected five times. That’s the bottom line of what’s acceptable,” he said.

“On top of that, he had a small position in the cabinet responsible for nuclear safety, but it was not a senior position. People would say you can’t be prime minister if you don’t do other things.”

The Liberal Democratic Party election will be held on September 27.