Toshimitsu Motegi, Japan’s former Foreign Minister and a prominent figure in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has announced his intention to run in the party’s presidential election, according to Kyodo News.
The decision comes on the heels of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s announcement on Sunday to resign as LDP leader, prompted by mounting pressure to take responsibility for the party’s recent electoral setbacks.
Ishiba’s resignation follows a series of disappointing election results, including the LDP’s loss of all three seats in parliamentary by-elections in April 2024 and a significant defeat in the general election on October 27, 2024, which left the LDP as a minority party in both houses of Parliament. The party has also been grappling with public discontent over a high-profile slush fund scandal that has eroded voter trust.
Motegi, 69, who served as LDP Secretary-General from 2021 to 2024 and held key cabinet posts including Foreign Minister and Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, is positioning himself as a candidate to lead the party and potentially become Japan’s next prime minister.
The LDP presidential election, expected to be scheduled soon, will determine the party’s next leader, who is likely to become prime minister given the LDP’s parliamentary majority. The race is anticipated to be highly competitive, with other potential candidates including former ministers like Taro Kono, Shinjiro Koizumi, and Sanae Takaichi, who also ran in the 2024 leadership contest. The election process involves LDP Diet members and dues-paying party members, with a two-round voting system requiring a simple majority to win.
Motegi’s candidacy comes at a critical juncture for the LDP, which faces the challenge of restoring public confidence amid ongoing fallout from the 2023–2024 slush fund scandal and recent electoral losses.
