TOKYO: Former Japanese Environment Minister KOIZUMI Shinjiro will announce his candidacy in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election as early as Aug. 30, informed sources said Friday.

It will be the 43-year-old’s first time to run in an LDP leadership election.

Possible candidates in the Sept. 27 election to pick the successor of current LDP President and Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio advanced their election-related preparations on Friday, including seeking support from other party members. Kishida said last week that he will not seek re-election as party chief.

Digital transformation minister KONO Taro, 61, said that he will hold a press conference on Monday to announce his bid for LDP presidency. It will be his third attempt to clinch the party chief seat.

Former LDP Secretary-General ISHIBA Shigeru, 67, on Friday delivered a speech at a conference hosted in Tokyo by former House of Representatives Vice Speaker Seishiro Eto, an Ishiba supporter.

Ishiba plans to announce his bid in his hometown of Yazu in the western Japan prefecture of Tottori on Saturday.

Former Chief Cabinet Secretary KATO Katsunobu, 68, was asked to run in the upcoming election by a group of Okayama prefectural assembly members from the LDP in a meeting held in the western Japan city of Okayama in the namesake prefecture.

“We need to restore the LDP and politics” that can “accept and address the voices of regional areas and of concerns about the future to overcome a national crisis together,” Kato told the assembly members.

On securing 20 nominations necessary to run in the election, Kato told reporters that he feels he is “steadily getting closer” to fulfilling this requirement.

Current Chief Cabinet Secretary HAYASHI Yoshimasa, 63, met with other members of an LDP faction previously led by Kishida.

While Hayashi is hoping to announce his candidacy as early as Tuesday, he plans to reschedule the press conference if Typhoon Shanshan hits the country on the day.

JIJI Press