NIPPON



 

Toshimitsu Motegi, former secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, announced his candidacy Wednesday for the leadership of the Japanese ruling party.

"I will seek a new coalition framework with political parties that share our basic policies," Motegi, 69, told a press conference at the Diet, the country's parliament, showing his readiness to expand the ruling bloc currently comprising the LDP and Komeito.

Motegi is the first to declare a bid in the LDP presidential election, scheduled for Oct. 4, to pick the successor to outgoing President Shigeru Ishiba, the country's prime minister.

Others considering or preparing bids for the party post include Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, 64, and former economic security ministers Sanae Takaichi, 64, and Takayuki Kobayashi, 50. Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 44, may also throw his hat in the ring.