LDP Commences Discussions on Potential Early Leadership Vote
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Japan is set to hold another meeting of its presidential election administration commission this week, as the commission seeks to finalize the method and timing of confirming party members' and lawmakers' opinions on an early leadership election.
The pressure on Prime Minister and party leader Shigeru Ishiba to step down has been mounting since the LDP's poor performance in the July 20 Upper House election. The party has been actively discussing whether to hold an extraordinary leadership poll ahead of schedule.
Following a general meeting of LDP lawmakers on August 8, the party has set a formal review of the election results for September 2, 2025. After this review, the LDP intends to survey its 295 lawmakers and 47 prefectural chapter representatives to gather signatures supporting or opposing an early leadership election. The clause in the LDP's constitution stipulates that an extraordinary presidential election will be held if more than half of the total number of member lawmakers and prefectural chapters demand it.
As of late August, opinions among the party’s prefectural branch executives are mixed. 21 out of 47 favor holding a presidential election, 2 oppose it, and many remain uncertain or undecided. The leadership commission is also debating whether to publicly disclose the names of members requesting an early election, as this would effectively mean demanding Ishiba's resignation.
The LDP presidential election administration commission, headed by Ichiro Aisawa, held its first meeting on August 19, but did not finalize a decision. The commission aims to confirm the intentions of lawmakers and prefectural chapters in writing with their signatures. The next meeting will be crucial in determining whether the LDP will hold an early leadership election and potentially recall Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
It is important to note that this clause has never been triggered in the party's history, making the current situation unprecedented. The commission is under pressure to reach a conclusion on when and how to confirm the opinions of LDP lawmakers and prefectural chapters during the first meeting, but it has been unable to do so. The next meeting will aim to finalize the method of confirming opinions, with Aisawa planning to lead the discussions.
The outcome of the LDP leadership election could have significant implications for Japan's political landscape, and the situation remains fluid, with no firm decisions made yet. Stay tuned for updates as the story develops.
[1] The Asahi Shimbun [2] Nikkei Asia [3] The Japan Times [4] Kyodo News
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