Who is vying to be Japan’s next prime minister? By Reuters

By Tim Kelly

TOKYO (Reuters) – The ruling Liberal Democratic Party voted in leadership elections on Friday to replace Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Here are the top contenders based on public opinion polls.

SHIGERU ISHIBA, 67

The former defense minister is making his fifth and, he says, last bid to lead a party that has ruled Japan for most of the past seven decades.

He is the only candidate to call for a shift away from nuclear power to renewable energy such as geothermal and supports legislation that would allow female emperors, a view opposed by many LDP lawmakers.

His economic strategy includes raising wages to counter rising prices and possibly exempting some goods from Japan’s 10 percent sales tax to help lower-income citizens.

He supports the Bank of Japan’s policy of gradually raising interest rates, but said it is unclear whether the timing is right for further hikes now.

He has also proposed establishing a disaster management agency to build shelters and wants to improve conditions for military personnel to ensure aging Japan has enough troops for its defense.

The son of a former prefecture governor and cabinet minister, he is a rare Christian in a country dominated by Buddhism and Shinto. He is known for building model ships and airplanes.

SHINJIRO KOIZUMI, 43 years old

The youngest candidate, Koizumi is the son of a former prime minister and heir to a political dynasty that has helped govern Japan for more than a century.

He presented himself as a reformer capable of restoring public confidence in a party mired in scandals. If elected, he would become Japan’s youngest prime minister.

Favored in media polls by younger voters and women, he has promised to call a general election that could get Japanese voters to the polls before the US presidential vote in November.

Koizumi promised to accelerate Kishida’s policies to foster dynamic economic growth that can adapt to technological change, including the rise of artificial intelligence.

The Columbia University-educated lawmaker has proposed opening Japan’s regulated taxi market to ride-sharing and is promising financial support for retirees and low-income households. He said he would push for higher wages at small and medium-sized companies while making it easier to fire workers.

He supports legislation to allow women to keep their maiden names, but opposes women becoming emperors. He also supports a revision of Japan’s war-renouncing constitution.

An avid surfer, Koizumi is married to French-Japanese TV personality and one of his brothers, Kotaro Koizumi, is a well-known actor in Japan.

SANAE TAKAICHI, 63

Representing the right wing of the LDP, Takaichi is Japan’s economic security minister. She is the leading female candidate in the race and is running against Kishida in 2021.

She is known for her conservative views, including pacifist constitutional revision, and is a regular visitor to the Yasukuni war shrine, which is seen by some Asian countries as a symbol of past militarism. She also opposes allowing women to keep their maiden names, arguing that it would undermine tradition.

Takaichi attracted controversy in 2016 when he suggested that the government could revoke the broadcasting licenses of media companies deemed to be politically biased.

Takaichi said he would prioritize economic growth to strengthen Japan’s international standing, using “strategic spending” to boost employment and consumer sentiment.

TARO KONO, 61 years old

Backed by rank-and-file LDP members, Kono was a front-runner for the leadership three years ago but lost in a runoff to Kishida, who had the support of several LDP lawmakers.

This time around, Kono, who as digital minister is trying to phase out fax machines, has lagged behind in opinion polls.

The third-generation LDP lawmaker, who was educated at Georgetown University and served as Japan’s foreign minister and defense minister, says his connections would give him an advantage in dealings with Washington regardless of the outcome of the presidential election from the USA.

Kono says he will reform labor markets to improve wages and conditions for millions of part-time workers and help people retrain for higher-paying jobs.

On the campaign trail, he drew attention for suggesting that Japan deploy nuclear-powered submarines to guard maritime choke points in waters around the country.

OTHER CANDIDATES

Other candidates include Toshimitsu Motegi, 68, the general secretary of the LDP, who has also served as foreign minister and trade and economy minister. Yoko Kamikawa, 71, Japan’s current foreign minister, is also running, as is former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, who at 49 is the second-youngest candidate after Koizumi.

They are joined in the race by Katsunobu Kato, 68, who served as health and labor minister and chief cabinet secretary, and the current holder of the position, Yoshimasa Hayashi, 63, who is also former Minister of Defense and Minister of Foreign Affairs.