Tokyo, Aug 20 (IANS): Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) decided on Tuesday to hold its presidential election on September 27 to select a successor to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, local media reported.
The upcoming election, the first since 2021 when Kishida was elected party's leader, is expected to see about a dozen lawmakers vie for the post to succeed Kishida, with the winner to be anointed Prime Minister, given the ruling coalition controls both Houses of Parliament, Xinhua news agency reported quoting Kyodo News.
Kishida, whose three-year term as an LDP President expires at the end of September, made a surprise announcement last week that he will step down without seeking re-election, leading a wide field of LDP figures to consider running, the report said.
Around the same period, the main Opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan currently led by Kenta Izumi is scheduled to hold its leadership election, with campaigning due to begin on September 7 and voting on September 23.
Former economic security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi, 49, on Monday, became the first to throw his hat into the ring for the LDP presidency.
The LDP will start a 15-day campaigning period for the race from September 12, a few days longer than the more common 12 days, in an apparent bid to improve transparency in hopes of restoring public trust in the party following a slush funds scandal, Kyodo News said.
The popular former Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba has expressed confidence that he can secure the backing of at least 20 party members, clearing the threshold to run in the race. He is expected to decide on his candidacy soon.
While Ishiba's past four attempts to become LDP leader fell flat, a Kyodo News poll released on Monday showed he was the most favoured to succeed Kishida, followed by former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Sanae Takaichi, the Minister in charge of economic security.
Kobayashi and the 43-year-old Koizumi both could present themselves as figures of generational change for the LDP as it looks to break from its recent troubles.
Japan's top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi, Digital Minister Taro Kono, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Industry Minister Ken Saito are among the prominent members of Kishida's Cabinet who are seen as likely to enter the presidential race.