Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president election has been finalized. Administrative reform Minister Taro Kono seems to be the closest to the next prime minister, but there are many variables.
This is Tokyo correspondent Yoo Seong-jae.
The Liberal Democratic Party’s election to elect ‘Post Suga’ will be held on the 29th.
It is held by the sum of the votes of the party members assigned to the same number as the 383 votes of the members of the National Assembly.
There are four candidates in all.
Minister Kono, who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense and is now in charge of vaccine policy, is currently ranked first in public opinion preference.
[고노/일본 행정개혁상 : 이번 총재선거는 국민들의 지지가 최대의 초점이 되는 게 아닐까 생각합니다.]
Former Chairman Jeongjo Kishida, who is behind him, is known in Korea for the comfort women agreement between Korea and Japan in 2015.
Although the party has introduced reforms and corona economic policies, it has a weakness in the support base of its members.
[기시다/전 자민당 정조회장 : (선거의 핵심은) 자민당의 신뢰 회복, 다시 말해 자민당의 개혁이라고 생각합니다.]
Here, former Prime Minister Takaichi Takaichi, who Abe expressed support for, and Acting Secretary General Noda, who came up with welfare policies, are female candidates.
If Minister Kono, who is running first, fails to get a majority of the votes in the first round, there is a possibility that he will be defeated by the conservative coalition in the final.
Another variable is the fact that major party factions have firmed up their voluntary voting policies unlike last year.
The winner of this year’s presidential election will be nominated as Japan’s 100th Prime Minister at an extraordinary session of the National Assembly early next month.
Analysts say that the new prime minister is not likely to see a dramatic change in relations between Korea and Japan for the time being, as he has to focus on responding to the coronavirus and recovering the economy.
(Video coverage: Han Chul-min, Moon Hyun-jin, Video editing: Jeon Min-gyu)
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