LDP Secretary-General Reiterates "No Party Member Vote Due to Concerns Over Political Vacuum"

Figures aiming to become Japan's next prime minister. Taro Kono, Japan's Minister of Defense (from left), Fumio Kishida, LDP Policy Research Council Chairman, Yoshihide Suga, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Shigeru Ishiba, former LDP Secretary-General
[Image source=Yonhap News Agency]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] As Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided to resign, Toshihiro Nikai, Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), who will decide the method for the LDP presidential election, reiterated on the 31st that the presidential election will be conducted solely by a vote of the joint parliamentary caucus without a party member vote.

According to NHK and other broadcasts, Secretary-General Nikai told reporters at the National Diet on the same day, "Of course, we would like to hold a party member vote," but added, "Since there is a strong demand from many citizens that political vacuum must be avoided, we intend to make a political judgment accordingly."

He continued, "Since local representatives also participate in the joint parliamentary caucus, the opinions of party members will be received, and opinions from each prefectural branch will be submitted to the headquarters in various forms," reiterating his stance that the party will not hold a party member vote as some within the party have demanded. This position is consistent with what he has stated previously.

With Prime Minister Abe’s sudden resignation due to a relapse of his chronic ulcerative colitis, the LDP is rapidly proceeding with the procedure to select the next party president. The election method and schedule are expected to be finalized on the 1st of next month, and intense factional struggles are underway. Currently, the most likely plan is to elect the president at the joint parliamentary caucus between the 13th and 15th of next month, but voices calling for a party member vote continue unabated.

Meanwhile, according to the Asahi Shimbun, on the same day, LDP rookie lawmakers including Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi are expected to submit a petition signed by members of parliament to Secretary-General Nikai, expressing their view that the party presidential election should include a party member vote. The petition states, "Considering the very difficult public perception toward the LDP, it is essential to hold an open presidential election that can dispel the public’s political distrust, rather than a joint parliamentary caucus vote."

The current candidates mentioned as potential next prime ministers are Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Fumio Kishida, and former Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba. In a situation where interests diverge depending on the election method, former Secretary-General Ishiba, who leads in public opinion polls, insists that a party member vote is necessary to secure strong support from party members.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.