TOKYO: The Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) decision to run nine candidates for its September 27th presidential election is not a random occurrence, but a strategic move with potentially significant implications aimed at diverting attention from the party’s recent troubles, including a financial sludge fund scandal and ties to the disgraced Unification Church, veteran journalist and political commentator GOTO Kenji said at a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan on Wednesday.
“In order to avoid putting the focus on these issues, several candidates are running and, as a result, I believe this is the strategy of long-term LDP staff or officials,” Sato said in a reply to Arab News Japan’s question.
Contenders included veteran ISHIBA Shigeru, former environment minister KOIZUMI Shinjiro, Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA Yoko, Chief Cabinet Secretary HAYASHI Yoshimasa, popular Digital Minister KONO Taro and nationalist TAKAICHI Sanae.
Public support for prime minister KISHIDA Fumio’s cabinet deteriorated to below 20% in some media surveys, making many legislators in the LDP worry about losing their seats in the upcoming general election if Kishida kept heading the government.
The Japanese public seems fed up with the LDP’s desperate cling to power and trying to sweep the scandals under the carpet, Goto indicated.
“The fact that nine candidates are running is not a coincidence but a result of strategic planning within the LDP. This move is designed to shift or dissipate the focus to many issues instead of a single focus on the sludge fund issue or LDP’s unification of church ties. It’s a clear manipulation by the long-term LDP staff or officials to divert attention from these issues.
And that’s the LDP presidency now: a dogfight, Goto said. “The dynamic is such that the LDP headquarters essentially manipulates or mobilizes MPs’ candidates to that end.”
SATO Chiyako, who also spoke at the press conference, said there was some merit in having two female candidates and two relatively young candidates, but overall, the standard of candidates and political discussion was poor.
Sato dismissed the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, which is also having a leadership contest, as “lacking the strength” to challenge the LDP.
“I foresee a continued stagnation in the political situation, with the LDP repeatedly changing faces to simulate a change in government.”