Editorial: New LDP leader Takaichi must heed public voice, dispel distrust in politics October 6, 2025 (Mainichi Japan) Japanese version Former minister in charge of economic security Sanae Takaichi
スーパーコピーブランド center, stands after being elected president of the Liberal Democratic Party in a runoff vote, in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, Oct. 4, 2025. (Mainichi/Naoki Watanabe) Without abandoning a narrow-minded attitude and listening to a wide range of voices, it will not be possible to dispel deep-rooted distrust in politics in Japan. Sanae Takaichi, the former minister in charge of economic security, has been elected as the new president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). She is the first female president in the history of the party, which marks its 70th anniversary this year. Takaichi won a five-way race following Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's resignation announcement. Takaichi received support from members of the now-defunct faction led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and conservative legislators. In the first round of voting by party members and supporters, she led by a significant margin. In a runoff with agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi, many lawmakers who prioritized the direction of party members' votes rallied with an avalanche of support for her. Koizumi garnered support across former factions and emphasized his youth and communication skills but fell short. Wariness over right-wing rhetoric The LDP, which has suffered defeats in three major elections, faces an unprecedentedly difficult situation as a minority ruling party in both houses of the Diet. It has been pointed out that in the July House of Councillors election, the LDP's conservative support base, which had been considered "rock solid
ブランドスーパーコピー激安 " shifted to Sanseito
ブランド激安市場 the Democratic Party for the People and other parties. Takaichi was given important roles by the late Abe while he was in office, and is well known as a leading right-wing debater in the LDP. There are expectations within the party that it will be able to regain support from conservative bases under her new leadership. However, concerns have been raised about her political stance of holding fast to her own opinions. During her campaign to win the LDP presidency, she made unsubstantiated claims such as that foreigners "are kicking Nara's deer." Such comments could unnecessarily fuel public anxiety and promote xenophobia. During the party's previous presidential election, Takaichi indicated that she would pay respects at Yasukuni Jinja shrine, which honors Japan's war dead including World War II Class A war criminals, after becoming prime minister. This time
新作ブランドコピー she avoided such statements, but if she did so, it could strain relations with China and South Korea. When Takaichi served as minister of internal affairs and communications, she made remarks appearing to pressure broadcasters that aired news programs critical of the government. We cannot have a situation where freedom of expression is threatened with an iron fist. There had been a deep-seated sense of caution within the party about such right-wing rhetoric and actions. This was one of the reasons Takaichi was defeated by Ishiba in the previous LDP presidential race. Reflecting on that loss, this time, she said she would "work with a sense of balance," and notably held back on her own pet ideas. If she is going to emphasize a conciliatory stance within the party, then she needs to exhibit behavior that does not slip into self-righteousness. Even though the ruling coalition is a minority, Takaichi is likely to become Japan's first female prime minister as the opposition parties holding a majority in the Diet lack unity. However, without cooperation from the opposition, it will not be possible to pass budgets and laws. During the presidential race, she stated, "I'll work on expanding the coalition before the vote to pick the next prime minister is held (in the Diet)." However, there remain significant hurdles, such as aligning basic policies. The Ishiba administration had to get by with a partial coalition, cooperating on a policy-by-policy basis. As a result, its policies overall lacked coherence, and the administration was unable to show its unique colors. Takaichi has made overtures to the opposition parties regarding measures to combat high prices and other issues, but repeated ad-hoc responses would merely mirror the Ishiba administration. Newly elected LDP president Sanae Takaichi, fourth from left, joins hands with party presidential candidates and former party president Shigeru Ishiba, third from left, at a joint meeting of party members from both houses of the Diet at the LDP headquarters, Oct. 4, 2025. Standing on the far left is agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi. (Mainichi/Akihiro Hirata) The challenge of party reform The strengthening of populist attitudes is also a concern. Takaichi has long advocated active fiscal spending and has stated that "issuing deficit-covering bonds is unavoidable" as a source of funding for immediate economic measures. Policies that pass on the burden of unchecked fiscal expansion to future generations are unacceptable. Furthermore, Takaichi has not tried to move ahead with reforms relating to money in politics. She is close to the former Abe faction, the epicenter of a slush fund scandal
スーパーコピーn級 and has not ruled out assigning key positions to lawmakers implicated in the scandal. She is also reluctant to ban corporate and organizational donations, which could distort policies. There remains deep-rooted distrust toward the LDP, with young and working-age generations notably moving away from the party. In a review of its heavy setback in the upper house election, the LDP called for a fresh start tantamount to dissolution, but debate during the presidential election was lackluster. The reality was that it focused on inward-looking appeals based on a desire for votes from lawmakers and party members. There were no deep discussions on reforms to enhance the sustainability of social security, diplomatic and security policies to engage with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and other such issues. Takaichi needs to present a vision for restoring trust. A pseudo-administration change with a mere face switch to portray a sense of renewal will not suffice. In Japan, not many women assume key roles in the political and economic spheres. With Takaichi's election, the LDP's ability to genuinely reform its outdated "male-dominated" structure will be put to the test. The LDP now faces the question of whether it can live up to its responsibility as a catch-all party, which is expected to gather diverse opinions and formulate policies from a long-term perspective. Font Size SML Print Go to The Mainichi Home Page
