Takaichi Announces Candidacy for LDP Leadership

“I, Sanae Takaichi, as someone who loves Japan and the Japanese people with all my heart, and who firmly believes in their strength, will once again run in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election,” Takaichi said at a press conference on September 19th.

Calling for Japan to “once more stand at the top of the world,” she pledged to pursue economic growth without compromise. Her proposals include the creation of a control center for foreign resident issues and stronger measures against illegal overstayers, aiming to shore up conservative support.

At the same time, her willingness to adopt opposition-backed policies has raised doubts among some conservatives about her capacity to build alliances across party lines. Takaichi said she would push for a tax credit system that increases net income relative to wages, known as a refundable tax credit—an idea championed by the Constitutional Democratic Party. She also pledged to develop backup crisis-management functions for the capital, echoing Nippon Ishin’s “second capital” concept, and to reform income thresholds, as advocated by the Democratic Party for the People.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who placed third behind Takaichi in last year’s race, launched his campaign team the same day. “We must not forget last year’s result, and fight through with a sense of urgency until the end,” Koizumi said, adding that he will announce his policy platform on September 21st.

Koizumi also gained a significant endorsement. Former Digital Minister Taro Kono said, “When we think about who can truly rebuild the party from its foundation, Koizumi is the most suitable.”

With the official announcement just three days away, leadership contenders are stepping up their campaigns.

Source: TBS