Abe Likely to Win Another Term as LDP President to Stay in Power

July 26, 2018

Tokyo- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is now seen as highly likely to win a third consecutive term as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in September's party leadership poll, and therefore to stay in power, after former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida clarified his support for Abe earlier this week.

Abe has now clinched support from over 60 pct of the party's 405 lawmakers, including the 48 members of a party faction led by Kishida, currently head of the LDP Policy Research Council.

Abe would also be chosen by 94 lawmakers from a faction led by former Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda, to which the prime minister has belonged, 59 from a group led by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, and 44 from one led by LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai.

In addition, about 50 of some 70 LDP lawmakers who do not belong to any intraparty faction are seen as ready to vote for Abe in the leadership election. Of them, about 30 members are viewed as close to incumbent Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, Abe's ally.

With those prospective supporters taken into account, Abe has secured some 70 pct of lawmaker votes.

He also aims to overwhelm his likely contender, Shigeru Ishiba, who has served in cabinet posts including defense minister as well as LDP secretary-general, in a ballot by party members across the country.

Recent media polls suggest that around 50 pct of LDP supporters favor Abe, while about 20 pct endorse Ishiba.

Members of the LDP's prefectural chapters in Miyagi, Gifu and Wakayama have already thrown support behind Abe.

"Abe needs to be approved by a majority of party members," said former education minister Hakubun Shimomura, a senior member of the Hosoda faction. Jiji Press