Conservative Lawmakers’ Presence Steadily Growing in Japan’s Ruling Liberal Democratic Party; Diet Members Seek Unity Lost due to Scandals, Abe’s Death

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:52 JST, February 7, 2025

The presence of conservative lawmakers in the Liberal Democratic Party is steadily growing.

For example, members such as Sanae Takaichi, former minister in charge of economic security, have been voicing stronger opinions over the planned introduction of a selective surname system, which would allow married couples to take separate surnames, as well as about the Ishiba administration’s diplomatic policies toward China.

This week, blocs of Diet members held meetings on these issues one after another.

A focus of attention is whether conservative LDP members will be able to form a new axis of unity, having lost their last one due to the death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a series of scandals over violations of the Political Funds Control Law committed by party factions.

In an internet broadcast released on Jan. 31, Takaichi remarked, “I want to urge [Diet members] to submit [a bill] to expand the range in which maiden names can be used [in business situations or other contexts],” emphasizing her opposition to a selective surname system.

Conservative LDP members oppose a selective surname system on the grounds that it could damage the sense of unity among family members.

Takaichi reiterated her opinions on the issue at a meeting of a conservative lawmakers’ league held on Feb. 4.

Not only opposition parties such as the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan but also Komeito, the LDP’s junior coalition partner, are actively working toward the introduction of a selective surname system.

Thus, the LDP executive members have been worrying about how to handle the issue.

Koichi Hagiuda, a former LDP Policy Research Council chairperson who is one of the most influential opponents of a selective surname system, held a meeting of Sosei Nippon, a league of conservative lawmakers, to support moves by other conservative party members against the creation of such a system.

Conservative LDP members are deeply leery of a plan to have the prime minister issue a statement to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Takayuki Kobayashi, former minister in charge of economic security, voiced his opposition, telling reporters on Jan. 30, “It is unnecessary to issue [the prime minister’s statement] at all.”

Hagiuda also criticized a government plan announced last year to relax the requirements for issuing short-term visas to Chinese people. At an LDP members’ meeting, Hagiuda said, “If Japan alone makes such a concession, it can’t be called a mutual benefit.”

However, since Abe’s death, there has not been an LDP member who has managed to take over the late former prime minister’s role of unifying conservative party lawmakers.

Many former Abe faction members lost their Diet seats because they were directly hit by the political funds scandals.

Influential conservative LDP members, including Hagiuda, who are still being punished by the party for the scandals, remain in difficult situations.

In the LDP’s presidential election in September last year, support from conservative party members was divided between Takaichi and Kobayashi. As a result, Ishiba was elected as the party leader.

A mid-ranking conservative LDP member enthusiastically said, “Conservative members should get united at any cost. We need to demonstrate that there is a force which can compete with the prime minister.”