Faction members who previously belonged to the Motegi group advocate for an immediate vote for the LDP leadership

Liberal Democratic Party Members Call for Early Leadership Election

Friday saw a significant development in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as lawmakers gathered for two separate meetings to discuss the possibility of an early party leadership election.

One of the meetings was led by former LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, and another group of approximately 10 LDP members serving their second terms as House of Representatives lawmakers held a separate meeting.

Former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, a member of a faction led by Motegi's successor, Toshihiro Nikai, expressed his readiness for an early leadership poll. Kobayashi, a potential LDP candidate for Prime Minister, stated that the party has suffered losses in the last two national elections under the leadership of Shigeru Ishiba. He expressed his readiness to initiate an early party election if Ishiba fails to take responsibility for these losses.

State Minister of Agriculture Hiroyoshi Sasagawa and State Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Yasushi Furukawa were participants in the Motegi-led meeting. According to a participant, the majority of these lawmakers support an early leadership election. After the meeting, Sasagawa stated that no participant was against moving up the next leadership election.

The exact number of LDP members who support an early leadership election is not specified, but both the Motegi-led faction and the second group of lawmakers appear to be in favor. Kobayashi joined the earlier mentioned meeting and made these statements during a television program.

It's important to note that no specific timeline for an early leadership election has been announced by any of the mentioned LDP members. The next internal leadership election of the Liberal Democratic Party is scheduled for September 20, 2025, and announced candidates discussing their candidacy include Taro Kono and Sanae Takaichi.

The potential for a leadership change within the LDP remains uncertain, as Ishiba's response to the calls for an early election has not been disclosed. The growing support for an early leadership election within the party serves as a further indication of the dissatisfaction within the LDP ranks.

As the situation unfolds, it will be interesting to see how the LDP navigates this internal turmoil and whether an early leadership election will indeed take place. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.

Faction members who previously belonged to the Motegi group advocate for an immediate vote for the LDP leadership