Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito Likely to Be Next Komeito Leader; Current Chief Keiichi Ishii Will Step Down After Losing Seat

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:25 JST, November 2, 2024

Transport minister Tetsuo Saito will likely become party leader of ruling junior coalition partner Komeito, replacing Keiichi Ishii, 66, who will step down after losing his seat in the recent House of Representatives election, according to Komeito sources.

The party is expected to choose Saito, 72, as Ishii’s successor at an extraordinary party convention scheduled for Nov. 9.

Saito, the land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister, has been elected to the lower house 11 times from Hiroshima Constituency No. 3. He is well-versed in party affairs, having served as secretary general of Komeito for about two years, starting in September 2018.

He has been the transport minister since the Cabinet of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was formed in October 2021. He also serves as vice chief of the party.

Komeito fielded 11 candidates in single-seat constituencies in the lower house election, of which seven, including Ishii, failed to win a seat. Komeito was ultimately left with 24 lower-house seats, eight fewer than before the election.

After Ishii announced his resignation on Thursday in response to the election results, Komeito started the process of selecting his successor.

Under the new administration, Secretary General Makoto Nishida, 62, will remain in his position; Policy Research Committee Chairman Mitsunari Okamoto, 59, will likely.