Japan's ruling LDP launches leadership race with five contenders ahead of October vote

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has officially launched its leadership election campaign to choose a successor to outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, with five candidates vying for the position: Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, former economic security ministers Sanae Takaichi and Takayuki Kobayashi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, and former LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi. The election, culminating in a vote on October 4, is expected to determine Japan's next prime minister, given the LDP's status as the largest party in the lower house despite its recent loss of a parliamentary majority. Key issues in the race include economic reform to address inflation and rising costs, cooperation with opposition parties, and revitalizing the LDP after electoral defeats and scandals. Sanae Takaichi, a frontrunner, advocates for increased government spending, tax cuts, nuclear power restarts, and has a nationalistic stance, while Koizumi, known for his dynamic approach and political lineage, focuses on boosting wages and productivity. The contest reflects factional maneuvering within the party and faces challenges such as shrinking party membership due to new voting eligibility rules and public frustration over stagnant wages and demographic challenges. The winner will need to quickly stabilize the party and navigate leading a minority government with a complex political landscape.