Japan's Ruling LDP To Hold Leadership Election On Oct. 4

Umer Jamshaid Published September 09, 2025 | 02:10 PM

TOKYO, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Sep, 2025) Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party will hold an election on Oct. 4 to choose the successor to outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the election panel said Tuesday.

The panel also said a 12-day campaigning period will start on Sept. 22 ahead of the vote, which will see all its lawmakers and rank-and-file party members cast a ballot.

The leadership election was originally scheduled to take place in 2027 but was brought forward after Ishiba suddenly announced his intention to resign after facing pressure from other LDP lawmakers.

Former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has publicly announced his candidacy, while Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi have also decided to run in the election, according to party sources.

Among key issues of contention are how to cooperate with opposition forces and reform the party, which has held power almost continuously since 1955, but which has suffered major setbacks in the past two national elections amid a political funds scandal.

Ishiba has said he will step aside to take responsibility for his party's dismal outcome in the July 20 House of Councillors election, which resulted in the coalition of the LDP and the Komeito party losing its majority in the upper house.

Ishiba took office in October last year after winning the LDP leadership contest the previous month, beating Takaichi in a runoff vote.

With the ruling bloc having also lost its majority in the more powerful House of Representatives late last year, it currently needs to obtain consent from some of the opposition parties to pass a bill.