2024 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) presidential election

2024 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election
← 2021 27 September 2024[1]
 
Candidate Yoshimasa Hayashi Shigeru Ishiba Yōko Kamikawa
Seat Rep for
Yamaguchi-3rd 		Rep for
Tottori-1st 		Rep for
Shizuoka-1st
 
Candidate Katsunobu Katō Takayuki Kobayashi Shinjirō Koizumi
Seat Rep for
Okayama-5th 		Rep for
Chiba-2nd 		Rep for
Kanagawa-11th
 
Candidate Taro Kono Toshimitsu Motegi Sanae Takaichi
Seat Rep for
Kanagawa-15th 		Rep for
Tochigi-1st 		Rep for
Nara-2nd
Incumbent President

Fumio Kishida


The 2024 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election will be held on 27 September 2024 to elect the next president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan for a 3-year term. The winner of the election will effectively become the next Prime Minister of Japan due to the LDP's majority in the National Diet and is expected to lead the party in the next general election and the 2025 Japanese House of Councillors election.

Incumbent LDP President and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on 14 August that he would not run for re-election, amid record-low approval ratings following controversy over a slush fund scandal involving the party's Seiwakai and Shisuikai factions, as well as the party's affiliations with the Unification Church.[2][3][4][5]

The 2024 presidential election is the first since the abolishment of most of the party's factions in the wake of the slush fund scandal, which has led to commentators describing the election's outcome as unusually volatile and unpredictable.[6] Nine candidates are running for the presidency, a record number.[7]

At the beginning of the official campaign period, Shigeru Ishiba, Shinjirō Koizumi and Sanae Takaichi emerged as the three top front-runners based on polling. Ishiba and Koizumi have been described as the "centrists" of the election,[8][9][10] while Takaichi has been described as a "staunch conservative."[11]

  1. ^ "Japan's ruling party sets leadership race for Sept. 27". Kyodo News. Archived from the original on 20 August 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Fumio Kishida Withdraws from LDP Presidential Race; New Japanese Prime Minister to Take Office". The Japan News. 15 August 2024. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  3. ^ Takahara, Kanako (15 August 2024). "Kishida clears the way for ministers to campaign in LDP election". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Editorial: Japan PM Kishida's exit comes only after deepening distrust in politics". Mainichi Daily News. 15 August 2024. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Kishida set to resign as Japan PM after withdrawing from LDP race". Kyodo News. 14 August 2024. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  6. ^ Bosack, Michael (8 September 2024). "Unpacking Japan's messy leadership election". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Taka was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Shimbun, The Yomiuri (29 June 2024). "Shigeru Ishiba of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party 'Pondering Carefully' Candidacy in LDP Presidential Election; Former LDP Secretary General Denies Reports of Already Making Decision". japannews.yomiuri.co.jp. Archived from the original on 29 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  9. ^ INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (2 July 2024). "小泉進次郎氏〝出馬〟情報「ポスト岸田」レース、次期衆院選「勝てる頭」への危機感 親子２代、古い自民をぶっ壊すか（1/4ページ）". zakzak：夕刊フジ公式サイト (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 6 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  10. ^ "河野太郎氏、自民総裁選出馬に意欲 麻生太郎氏に伝達". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  11. ^ Osaki, Tomohiro. "Could Japan soon have a female leader? Sanae Takaichi emerges as a contender". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 5 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2021. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 5 September 2021 suggested (help)