LDP Diet Members to Be Asked to Submit Signed Statements on Leadership Race, Deadline Expected to Be Sept. 8

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:26 JST, August 28, 2025

The Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election administration committee decided on Wednesday to ascertain the views of party Diet members on whether to hold an extraordinary party presidential election through the submission of signed written statements.

The committee, chaired by Ichiro Aisawa, held a meeting at party headquarters on the day.

Lawmakers who want an election to be held will be requested to submit a statement to that effect, and their names will be disclosed after tallying votes.

A party executive indicated that the deadline for lawmakers to submit their statements is expected to be Sept. 8.

The written submissions will require signatures and seals from lawmakers calling for an early leadership election. In principle, lawmakers will be required to deliver the documents to party headquarters in person, with proxy submissions permitted only in unavoidable cases such as illness. Prefectural chapters will also be asked to submit written documents via mail or other means after making organizational decisions.

After formally concluding a review of the House of Councillors election at a general meeting of the party’s Diet members of both houses on Tuesday, the presidential election committee plans to begin procedures to confirm party members’ opinions on holding an extraordinary presidential election.

The submission date is supposed to be set within “five to seven days” after the start of the procedures. Members will be able to submit their written statements only between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on that day. The deadline for prefectural chapters will be the same day.