Yoshimasa Hayashi Enters Race for President of Japan’s LDP; Chief Cabinet Secretary Also Ran for Post in 2012

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:14 JST, September 3, 2024

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced his candidacy for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election on Tuesday afternoon.

At a press conference in the Diet Building, Hayashi officially expressed his intention to run in the party’s presidential election, saying, “Toward a brighter future, I would like to conduct people-friendly politics that will give all citizens peace of mind.”

The official start of the presidential election will be on Sept. 12, with voting and ballot counting scheduled for Sept. 27. This is Hayashi’s second run for the party presidency. He previously ran in 2012.

Hayashi represents Yamaguchi Constituency No. 3 in the House of Representatives. Previously, he was elected to the House of Councillors five times. He has served in cabinet posts including foreign minister, defense minister and agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister.

Hayashi is the fourth LDP lawmaker who has officially expressed an intention to run in the election following Takayuki Kobayashi, former minister in charge of economic security; former LDP Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba; and digital minister Taro Kono.