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His emphasis on supporting rural economies and bolstering defense infrastructure, especially in light of Japan’s frequent natural disasters, has spurred positive momentum in certain stock sectors, including disaster preparedness and defense.
Ishiba's decision to retain Hayashi, a veteran politician with previous roles as foreign and defense minister, reflects a desire for continuity in leadership during a critical political transition.
Ishiba has a long history of being a vocal critic of the LDP, earning him a reputation as a turncoat among lawmakers. His most notable act of defiance came in 1993 when he supported a no-confidence vote against then-Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. This move, along with his departure from the LDP to join a reformist faction led by Ichiro Ozawa, has left a lasting stain on his reputation within the party. Political science professor Yu Uchiyama notes that this history fuels perceptions of Ishiba as a "traitor" among senior politicians.
Ishiba’s path to leadership was cemented in the initial round, where he garnered 154 votes from a pool of nine candidates, advancing to the decisive runoff after Takaichi's 181 votes placed her in contention. Renowned for his expertise in defense and commitment to regional revitalization, Ishiba had consistently ranked high in pre-election polls regarding who would best lead the LDP.
LDP presidential candidates voiced concerns over escalating security threats after China's recent missile launch. They emphasized the need for Japan to strengthen its defense capabilities, enhance regional security cooperation, and remain vigilant against growing military pressures in the Asia-Pacific region.
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.
This legislative action has sparked significant debate over the methods employed and the implications for political discourse in the country.
According to an Asahi Shimbun report, meetings between Abe, then-Policy Research Council Chairman Fumio Hagiuda, former Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, and the Unification Church's leadership occurred in the LDP's President’s Room in late June 2013. In response to inquiries about these claims, Kishida affirmed that his prior statements on the issue remain unchanged, asserting that no new information warrants further discussion at this time.
Takaichi’s support for increasing local vote influence is aimed at more accurately reflecting the preferences of party members and supporters. Currently, the presidential election process involves two rounds of voting. In the first round, votes are evenly split between Diet members and local party members/supporters. If no candidate secures a majority, the top two candidates advance to a runoff election. The runoff process, however, maintains the same split in vote allocation.
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.
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