By Satoshi Sugiyama and Makiko Yamazaki
TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan’s farm minister and the chief government spokesperson entered the race on Tuesday to lead the ruling party, pledging their candidacies in a vote set for early next month to replace outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Ishiba announced his resignation this month to take responsibility for a series of bruising election losses that have made harder the task of choosing a leader for his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Farm Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told a press conference he had informed supporters over the weekend of his intention to run for the role of LDP leader, with Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato set to spearhead his campaign operation.
The son of former Premier Junichiro Koizumi had some success this year in his task of curbing soaring prices of rice.
Kato, who secured the fewest votes in the LDP’s previous leadership contest in September last year, told a separate press conference he would back Koizumi this time, in the spirit of “unifying the party”.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, who has served as the Ishiba government’s top spokesperson, declared his candidacy on X, with a formal press conference set for 12:30 p.m. (0330 GMT).
“I aim to lead a new administration that balances stability and growth,” Hayashi posted.
Former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi was the first to throw his hat in the ring last week, followed by Former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi.
Also expected to announce her candidacy this week is former Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi, a proponent of government stimulus and monetary easing who could become Japan’s first female leader.
The choice of Japan’s next leader is more complicated than before as the LDP, which has ruled for most of the post-war period, and its coalition partner Komeito, lost their majorities in both houses of parliament during Ishiba’s tenure.
(Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama and Makiko Yamazaki; Writing by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Tom Hogue and Clarence Fernandez)
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