Japan's LDP Leadership Race Kicks Off with Five Candidates Amid Lost Majority

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has officially launched its leadership race to select a successor to outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who resigned following the party's loss of its parliamentary majority. Five candidates are contesting the election: Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, former Economic Security Ministers Takayuki Kobayashi and Sanae Takaichi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, and former LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi. The campaign period lasts 12 days, culminating in an October 4 vote by LDP lawmakers and party members, with a potential runoff if no candidate secures a majority. Key campaign issues include strategies for cooperating with opposition parties due to the LDP-Komeito coalition's minority status in both parliamentary chambers, economic policies, rising living costs, and party reforms. Among the candidates, Takaichi and Koizumi are seen as front-runners, with Takaichi emphasizing hawkish security policies and Koizumi gaining attention for tackling rice price inflation. The leadership outcome will significantly influence Japan's political direction, although becoming LDP president does not guarantee becoming prime minister under the current parliamentary dynamics.