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The abrupt resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe from his mandate – he who is the head of government with the longest service – represents a surprise to go to the polls for the presidency of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party (PLD) and, consequently, for the post of Prime Minister of that country.
Shinzo Abe resigned from the portfolio last Friday due to health problems, ending a period ahead of the world’s third-largest economy in which it tried to resume growth, strengthen defense and boost the country’s profile in the global market. .
Abe and his administration will remain in charge of the government until a new PLD leader is elected and thus a new prime minister for Japan is found, but his government will not be able to adopt new policies until then. His successor will be tasked with leading the Japanese government until the end of the term, which ends in September 2021.
In a normal process, the PLD leader elects an assembly that includes party legislators, territorial leaders and representatives of the militants who meet every three years to nominate the maximum leader of that political group.
However, in cases like the present one, there is a process that, for reasons of urgency, involves selecting the candidate for prime minister from among the legislators of the parties and representatives of the 47 prefectures of the country.
The first option, although slower in the procedures, is broader in terms of the necessary political support, unlike the second option, in which legislators have more weight, this being the system chosen in 2007 to designate Abe’s successor when he resigned. the post a year later due to inflammatory bowel disease.
Proposals to elect the next prime minister will be taken to a meeting of the party’s general council on Tuesday, September 1, at which time the new leader is expected to be chosen on election day.
The party has yet to decide the format of the elections due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however, according to state media agencies, cited by Reuters, the PLD is considering going to vote on September 15 virtually. There is an extensive list of possible candidates, but for the news agency there are seven favorites for the party’s presidential portfolio.
Shigeru Ishiba
The 63-year-old former defense minister regularly tops the favorite polls, although he is the least popular within the party. “Reuters” describes the potential candidate as a “soft-spoken expert” who also managed portfolios for agriculture and revitalizing local economies in Abe’s previous terms.
Fumio Kishida
Having served as chancellor during Abe’s tenure from 2012 to 2017, Kishida has been another frontrunner as the successor to the Japanese prime minister. However, according to “Reuters”, it maintains a low ranking among polls.
The agency recalls that Kishida, 63, was taken by surprise by Abe’s resignation announcement, but that moments after arriving in Tokyo, he announced to reporters that he would apply for the now-vacant position.
Yoshihide suga
The 71-year-old chief cabinet secretary has been loyal to Abe since his troubled tenure in 2006 and 2007, and it was he who lobbied the resigned prime minister to run again for the highest office in 2012.
Back in office, Abe chose Suga as chief cabinet secretary, a key role that includes acting as a government spokesperson, coordinating policies and keeping bureaucrats at bay.
Although he has publicly denied his interest in being prime minister so far, Suga has strategically scheduled about five major media interviews a week before Abe’s announcement, something that analysts have not overlooked.
Although he is already testing ground, Suga’s influence has been undermined by scandals that toppled two ministers close to him last October.
Taro kono
Current Defense Minister Taro Kono, 56, has a reputation as a dissident, but has followed the limits of Abe’s main policies, including a tough stance on conflicts with South Korea.
A graduate of Georgetown University and fluent in English, Kono has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Administrative Reform.
Shinjiro Koizumi
As the youngest among the old guard candidates, analysts predict it will be difficult for the 39-year-old Koizumi to rise in the ranks of voters.
The country’s current Environment Minister subscribes to some of Abe’s more conservative policies, but when it comes to environmental reinforcements, Koizumi has recently generated some controversy for advocating more liberal measures, such as reducing state support for coal, most polluting fossil fuel.
Toshimitsu Motegi
The current foreign minister already served in Japan as economy minister during Abe’s term in 2012.
A graduate of the University of Tokyo and Harvard, Motegi was first elected to the lower house in 1993 by the then-opposition New Japan Party. Motegi, 64, joined the PLD in 1995.
Seiko Noda
The 59-year-old former internal affairs minister made no secret of her desire to be elected prime minister of Japan.
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