TOKYO: Former Japanese Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has informed people close to him of his intention to run in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s upcoming leadership election, informed sources said Tuesday.

Koizumi, 43, is one of more than 10 LDP figures seen running for the LDP presidency. Others include former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, 49, who announced his candidacy on Monday. It is rare for an LDP leadership election to have two or more candidates in their 40s or younger.

Koizumi, the second son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, has been seen as a future prime minister candidate since his early career. He regularly ranks high in public opinion polls asking who is the best person to become the next prime minister.

Koizumi is close to former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who has influence over LDP members who have distanced themselves from intraparty factions. He said on Sunday, “I will give it serious consideration and make a decision.”

Former LDP Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba, 67, is also believed to have secured 20 nominations, a condition for running in an LDP presidential election. “I’m considering when is the (best) day to inform many people of my thoughts,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

Ishiba is coordinating to announce his candidacy in Tottori Prefecture, including his constituency, on Saturday, according to informed sources.

Meanwhile, digital transformation minister Taro Kono, 61, is working to announce his candidacy next Monday. On Tuesday, he met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who said last week that he will not seek re-election as LDP president, indicating that he will step down as prime minister after the party election.

The LDP decided the same day to hold a leadership election on Sept. 27, with the official campaign period starting Sept. 12 for a 15-day run, the longest since the party introduced the current rules in 1995.

The party apparently hopes to highlight its renewal through active debates in the leadership election, after its high-profile “slush fund” scandal caused serious public distrust.

At a meeting of party executives on Tuesday, Kishida said that the leadership election will “show a newborn LDP to the people” and that he hopes to see serious debates among candidates.

In the leadership election, candidates will compete for 734 votes–367 to be cast by LDP lawmakers and the same number to represent rank-and-file party members.

JIJI Press