Top contenders for Japan’s presidency after PM Kishida announces resignation | World News

Kono, a maverick who speaks fluent English and has long been popular with the public and the LDP at large, lost to Kishida in the last presidential election due to a lack of support from his parliamentary peers. Still, the fact that he is seen as an outsider could prompt the party to turn to him to restore its image, tarnished by a political fundraising scandal. Currently minister of digital transformation, Kono has a wealth of cabinet experience, having served as foreign minister and defense minister. Kono has toned down his opposition to nuclear power in recent years. He has expressed concern about Beijing’s rise and said Japan should join the “Five Eyes” intelligence group made up of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. In an interview with Bloomberg TV last month, Kono urged the BOJ to raise interest rates to support the yen.

Foreign Minister Kamikawa is a Harvard graduate who ran her own consulting firm before entering politics. If elected, she would become Japan’s first female prime minister. She is known for her efforts to promote female candidates, an uphill battle given that only 12 percent of LDP lawmakers are women. Kamikawa has also been criticized by activists for approving up to 16 executions, including six members of the doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo, while she was justice minister. Kamikawa speaks English.

Motegi, a party heavyweight who recently said the Bank of Japan should be more vocal about its intention to normalize monetary policy, is currently the LDP’s secretary-general and a former foreign minister. He is also a Harvard graduate and has a tough-guy image within the LDP. Political analysts say Motegi could be able to replicate the personal relationship former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe formed with Donald Trump if he wins the U.S. presidential election in November.

The son of former Prime Minister Junichiro, Shinjiro Koizumi gained attention in September for surfing off the coast of Fukushima to allay safety concerns after the release of treated wastewater from the nearby destroyed nuclear power plant. A former environment minister and renewable energy advocate who has criticized the government’s support for coal production, he made headlines for marrying a popular TV presenter and becoming the first sitting minister to take paternity leave. He has kept a largely low profile since telling a news conference in 2019 that he wanted to make tackling climate change “sexy” — a remark seen by many in Japan as a gaffe. In a sign that he may be willing to take on his country’s vested interests, Koizumi in November set up a cross-party group to advocate for the introduction of ride-hailing apps to help solve a shortage of taxi drivers.

Takaichi, a former heavy metal drummer turned conservative, has cited former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as an inspiration. Although she is currently economic security minister, she set up her own study group in November, raising eyebrows as it is seen as a way to drum up support for a leadership challenge. The selection of Takaichi, who frequently visits the Yasukuni Shrine, seen throughout the region as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism, would endanger the country’s recent rapprochement with South Korea and could further sour ties with China. She has advocated greater reliance on nuclear power and expressed concern about the environmental damage caused by solar panels. Takaichi was an admirer of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and, during his 2021 leadership bid, voiced support for his ultra-loose monetary policy stance.

First published: August 14, 2024 | 10:07 a.m. IST