Tokyo
Former Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi has officially joined the race to lead Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), completing the lineup of major contenders seeking to replace outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, according to Kyodo News.
Takaichi, 64, is a staunch conservative and a close ally of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. She also served as Minister of State for Economic Security. If successful, she would become Japan’s first female prime minister. Speaking to reporters, Takaichi said politics should turn public “anxieties about life and the future into hope.” Her policy platform will be presented at a press conference on Friday.
She will face competition from Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi.
The leadership election, originally planned for 2027, was advanced after Ishiba resigned earlier this month, taking responsibility for the ruling coalition’s defeat in the July 20 House of Councillors election. The LDP already lost its majority in the House of Representatives after the 2024 general election, leaving it to run a minority government.
Recent polls show Takaichi leading overall support, with 28 percent of respondents favouring her as LDP leader, while Koizumi follows at 22.5 percent. However, among LDP supporters, Koizumi remains the frontrunner with 36 percent, ahead of Takaichi’s 15.7 percent.
The official candidate list will be finalised on September 22, and the vote will be held on October 4. The winner must still secure a parliamentary majority to become prime minister, but Takaichi’s candidacy represents a historic opportunity for Japan to elect its first female leader.