9 in the Running To Replace Kishida as Head of Japan's Ruling Party

TaiwanPlus News

Japan's long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party is getting a new leader, with nine candidates in the running to become the country's next prime minister after Kishida Fumio announced in August that he would not stand for reelection. The winner of this leadership race is almost guaranteed to win in Japan's general elections.

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00:00Japan's next prime minister is likely somewhere on this stage.

00:05The politicians here all hope to win an election next week to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic

00:10Party.

00:11It's a party that has almost never been out of power since it formed in 1955.

00:15So whoever leads the party is almost certain to win in a general election.

00:19The party wants to move on from scandals that have hit the popularity of outgoing Prime

00:22Minister Kishida Fumio, leading him to decide against running for leadership.

00:27Nine candidates want to take his place, an unusually packed field that analysts say they

00:31can explain.

00:57But there are clear frontrunners in this crowded field.

01:00Leading the pack with 26% public support in a recent poll is former cabinet member Ishiba

01:05Shigeru, whose long absence from senior office means he's not linked to the latest scandals.

01:11Following at 21% is Koizumi Shinjiro, whose youthful energy made him an early favourite

01:15but whose debate performance and lack of policy experience have hurt him.

01:20And at 11% is Minister of Economic Security Takaichi Sanae, a favourite with conservatives

01:25and one of two women in the race.

01:28Though foreign policy questions, like how Japan would evacuate citizens from Taiwan

01:31in the event of a Chinese invasion, have come up, this is largely a race about domestic

01:36issues.

01:37A poll by Japan's national broadcaster NHK shows pensions and the social safety net are

01:42the biggest issues on voters' minds, followed by the economy and issues of money in politics,

01:47with foreign affairs only in fourth place.

01:50And so it's everyday concerns that have taken up much of the airtime.

01:56We will continue to work towards a complete evacuation of the Japanese economy.

02:02We will continue to work towards a complete evacuation of the Japanese economy.

02:06We will continue to work towards a complete evacuation of the Japanese economy.

02:10We will continue to work towards a complete evacuation of the Japanese economy.

02:14We will continue to work towards a complete evacuation of the Japanese economy.

02:17We will continue to work towards a complete evacuation of the Japanese economy.

02:20We will continue to work towards a complete evacuation of the Japanese economy.

02:24We will continue to work towards a complete evacuation of the Japanese economy.

02:28We need economic growth.

02:31We will continue to pursue economic growth.

02:39But once they become Prime Minister, the victor of this race will have to pivot very quickly

02:43from these bread and butter issues to global affairs, while their LDP and junior governing

02:47party Komeito face down domestic opposition that isn't as weak as it used to be.

02:53This new leader is going to face one of the most severe security environments

02:58in Japan's history, pretty much.

03:01China has been very much increasing its military assertiveness around Japan

03:07and around East Asia.

03:09And if Trump were to come back, would this new Prime Minister be able to deal with

03:14the volatility that comes with a new administration in the United States?

03:21And then again, at home as well, there's still a higher chance, I think, than in the past

03:26that these opposition parties are able to kind of get together and at least kind of

03:31chip away at the LDP and Komeito's majority.

03:35So what from the outside may look like an internal party affair actually matters

03:39for the whole region when Japan goes to the polls on September 27th.

03:43Klein Wong and John Van Triest for Taiwan Plus.

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