KOFU: Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio visited the central prefecture of Yamanashi on Saturday, kicking off his nationwide campaign tour in preparations for his ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership race expected to take place in September.

Kishida met with officials of the LDP’s Yamanashi chapter at a hotel in Kofu, the capital of the prefecture. At the meeting, Kishida vowed to restore confidence in the LDP following the party’s political funds scandal, according to participants. He did not discuss the party’s presidential election.

In the Yamanashi city of Hokuto, Kishida visited a company working on smart agriculture using cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence. He also visited a semiconductor component manufacturer in the Yamanashi city of Nirasaki.

As part of the tour on Monday, Kishida is scheduled to visit the central prefecture of Ishikawa, which was hit hard by a magnitude-7.6 earthquake on Jan. 1.

Votes from rank-and-file LDP members are crucial to the party’ presidential election. Kishida aims to lift his public approval ratings, which are at record low levels, by highlighting his achievements and new policies during the tour.

Kishida’s efforts to improve his political fortunes face challenges, however.

Former Prime Minister SUGA Yoshihide has effectively called for Kishida to step down. Former LDP Secretary-General ISHBIA Shigeru and digital transformation minister KONO Taro are expected to challenge Kishida in the party race.

JIJI Press