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As of September 20, the Mainichi Shimbun reported that Koizumi has secured the backing of over 50 of the 368 Diet members. His nearest competitors are former Minister of Economic Security Takayuki Kobayashi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi. The Sankei Shimbun's survey corroborates this, indicating that Koizumi also leads in support from LDP members, as assessed through opinion polls targeting party supporters.
According to a survey conducted on September 15 and 16, none of the nine candidates are expected to secure an outright majority in the first round of voting on September 27. Consequently, a runoff election between the top two contenders appears likely. The survey, which targeted LDP supporters, shows Takaichi leading with 27.7%, followed by Ishiba at 23.7%, and Koizumi at 19.1%. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa trails at 6.3%, with other candidates such as Kobayashi Takayuki, Kamikawa Yoko, Kono Taro, Motegi Toshimitsu, and Kato Katsunobu showing even lower support.
The announcement was made in the LDP headquarters' 8th-floor hall, where the candidates delivered their speeches to a gathering of lawmakers and party members. Due to the high number of contenders, each candidate was allotted just 10 minutes to present their platform, a notable reduction from the 20 minutes typically given when fewer candidates are involved.