Ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership hopefuls campaigned across the country Sept. 7 ahead of the Sept. 27 election that will decide Japan’s new prime minister.
Former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 43, said in a stump speech in Tokyo’s Ginza district that he would “change the LDP, which can currently carry out reforms only to the extent permitted by industry groups and vested interests.”
Former LDP Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba, 67, told reporters after a speech in the southwestern city of Kagoshima that he believes he has done the most to visit regional areas. Digital transformation minister Taro Kono, 61, visited a drugstore in Tokyo to see progress in the use of the My Number social security and tax identification cards as health insurance certificates. “It only started recently but it is spreading,” he said.
Nine LDP members have declared their bids for the party presidency so far. Economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, 63, and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, 68, announced their candidacies Sept. 9 and Sept. 10, respectively, while Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa threw her hat into the ring Sept. 11. (Jiji)
毎週届く！
