Noda Gives Up Bid for Japanese Ruling Party Presidency

September 2, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Seiko Noda said Friday that she has given up plans to run in the Sept. 20 presidential election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Noda, 57, told a press conference that she was unable to secure recommendations from at least 20 LDP lawmakers, required to run in the party's leadership election.

"I did not have enough ability," she said.

As a result, the upcoming election is expected to be a one-on-one battle between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, 63, who is seeking a third consecutive three-year term as party chief, and former LDP Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba, 61.

Noda did not say which of them will get her vote. "I've just given up my candidacy," she said, adding that she will make up her mind after reporting her latest decision to supporters in her constituency.

She suggested that she will aim to establish a new intraparty group that she will head herself. Like-minded lawmakers need to come together to maintain party diversity, she said.

Noda also said that the LDP's leadership election should always have a female candidate, suggesting that she is keen to run in the next poll.

Noda, who does not belong to any LDP faction, made her first attempt for the party's top post in the 2015 election but failed to run in the race due to a lack of support. Jiji Press