LDP Presidential Election: Isn’t The Party’s Sense of Crisis Too Weak?

Editorial

15:00 JST, September 20, 2025

The Liberal Democratic Party has long been in power by positioning itself as a party of the people that embraces a wide range of voters.

However, now that it is a minority in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, its foundation is crumbling. Candidates running in the LDP presidential election, as well as party members and members of LDP affiliated organizations who will choose the new leader of the party, must recognize that the election is a critical juncture that will determine the party’s survival.

Five LDP lawmakers — former LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi; former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi; Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi; Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi; and former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi — have announced their candidacies for the presidential election to be held next month. All five candidates ran in last year’s LDP presidential election.

The LDP also held presidential elections in 2020 and 2021. Next month, it will select its fourth president in just five years.

It is difficult for short-lived cabinets to implement policies requiring long-term visions, such as social security system reforms. In terms of diplomacy, leaders of such cabinets also find it difficult to foster trust with leaders of other countries. Building a stable government is crucial for enhancing Japan’s national strength.

However, what stands out is that the policies advocated for by each candidate primarily focuses on immediate issues such as countering high prices.

Motegi has advocated for a 10% increase in annual income, while Kobayashi has proposed a flat-rate income tax reduction. Hayashi is calling for a 1% annual increase in real wages. The question is how they plan to achieve these goals specifically.

This time, Koizumi and Takaichi are seen as the leading candidates.

Koizumi’s strengths lie in his achievements, such as lowering rice prices. Last year, he drew criticism by calling for the introduction of a selective separate surname system for married couples and relaxing dismissal regulations. This time, he is reportedly making a point not to make careless statements.

Takaichi, who receives support from conservatives, emphasized her intention to promote expansionary fiscal policy. She also expressed an intent to develop specific plans for a tax credit with cash payments, combining direct cash payments and income tax cuts, as a measure against rising prices.

All five candidates are conscious of the election for prime minister set to take place during the extraordinary Diet session and are seemingly attempting to propose policies likely to gain cooperation from opposition parties. However, solidifying their immediate footing should be the priority.

In the latest upper house election, the number of votes the LDP received in the proportional representation segment decreased by 5.45 million compared to the previous election three years ago. Party membership, which was 1.09 million at the end of 2023, reportedly dropped by more than 60,000 in just one year. Rebuilding the party is an urgent task.

Amid the situation in which more political parties are being established, it remains unclear whether the LDP can regain a majority by itself. As long as it remains the largest party, it will likely continue to play a central role in the Diet. It now stands at a crossroads of whether it can fulfill that responsibility.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 20, 2025)