TOKYO —

Two Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers Monday declared their candidacies for the Sept 22 LDP presidential election, joining two other candidates who have already entered the race.

Former Defense Minister Yuriko Koike, 56, the first female candidate to seek the LDP presidency, told a news conference that the keyword for her policy platform is ‘‘reform,’’ while Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Kaoru Yosano, 70, said he will focus on establishing a ‘‘sustainable society.’’

Koike and Yosano will face LDP Secretary General Taro Aso, 67, and former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, 51, in the election to choose a successor for outgoing Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

Former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori told a meeting of an LDP faction led by Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura that he intends to support Aso in the presidential election.

Koike, a TV news anchorwoman-turned-lawmaker, said, ‘‘What I will aim for is to change this world, the system of Japanese society. On the other hand, I would like to preserve tradition, family ties and the solidarity of community, which should be preserved.’’

On specific policies, Koike said she will consider introducing an environmental tax while stimulating agriculture to eliminate regional disparities and promoting policies from a female perspective.

Yosano told a separate press conference the LDP should not be a party ‘‘that does not feel people’s pain. I’m aiming for kindhearted reform.’’

He also suggested that he will mull raising the consumption tax, saying, ‘‘I’d like to gain public understanding on the overall tax system and finance, not only on the consumption tax.’’

On a consumption tax hike, Koike said she cannot think about it now, although it is an option for Japan to remain a sustainable society in the future.

Yosano also said he would not immediately dissolve the House of Representatives for a general election if he becomes Fukuda’s successor so as to prioritize enactment of an extra budget.

‘‘Enactment of the supplementary budget would be the most important task,’’ he said. ‘‘Politicians have been entrusted with swiftly carrying out an emergency economic package that includes an extra budget. Considering the cash flow situation of small businesses, the budget must come into effect before the year-end.’’

Some senior ruling bloc lawmakers have indicated they anticipate that Fukuda’s successor will dissolve the lower house in early October for a snap general election in November.

Other than the four, former LDP policy chief Nobuteru Ishihara, 51, has also shown an interest in running and plans to announce his candidacy Tuesday, according to sources close to Ishihara.

Former State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ichita Yamamoto, who had earlier expressed hope to run in the party election, told reporters Monday night that he will give up the idea. He was struggling to secure the requisite number of recommendations from 20 LDP lawmakers.

Yasufumi Tanahashi, a former state minister for science and technology, is also seen to have difficulty securing the recommendations.

The election campaign is scheduled to start Wednesday.

Fukuda’s successor is certain to assume the post of prime minister due to the party’s majority in the House of Representatives, the powerful lower house of the Diet.

Wire reports

Latest 15 of 26 Total Comments Show All

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  Wottock_Hunt at 06:09 PM JST - 8th September

  This is a sham. Aso is the De Facto PM.

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  mojibake at 06:24 PM JST - 8th September

  Madam Sushi for Prime Minister!!!!

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  serindipity at 06:46 PM JST - 8th September

  NEWS FLASH!!!!

  Serendipity from the JT forums announces a bid for LDP presidential race!

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  JoeBigs at 07:16 PM JST - 8th September

  Ok ok I want to inform all here that I, Joebigs am running for PM! I know all of you can not wait to see sm, a true middle of the road sort of guy win!

  Man can we say everyone is throwing their hat into the ring on this one!

  Next we may get a porn star or two throwing their hats in! Oh wait that only happens in the States.......Or was that some south American country?

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  chibaman at 07:34 PM JST - 8th September

  I hereby also declare my interest in the above position. I will however be seeing to the construction of a highway from outside my house to the convenience store which is 3 minutes away by bicycle, and then said highway will do several loops and remain unfinished somewhere inconvenient for someone else. And when I get caught not using it, I will apologise and pledge to amend my ways and then some more blah blah.

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  cow76 at 08:00 PM JST - 8th September

  I was teaching today and one student said that it was important to have a female leader before the US had one. I asked her "do you think Koike is the best person for the job?". The answer was inaudible.

  This sounds sexist but if she wins it will be because she's a woman (she has no other redeeming features). She's hopeless but then again, Japanese politicians are hardly the cream of society. At least she couldn't be worse than Mori.

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  zzonkerr at 08:17 PM JST - 8th September

  Cow - Comes as no surprise, but your student is seeing it wrong. It's not a race to have a female leader first. In that regard, Japan will have to go for the bronze among G8 countries; the UK's Thatcher and Germany's Merkel coming in 1 and 2.

  I don't care if she's female. Koike may do a good job; my distrust of her is rooted in that she comes from showbiz land, albeit journalism, but showbiz land nonetheless. If Aso was some geinokai somewhere and plopped into politics, I'd share the same distrust.

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  usaexpat at 11:34 PM JST - 8th September

  I think Koike would make a good PM. Maybe she would actually last longer than 1 year like Abe and Fukuda.

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  rjdsr at 02:29 AM JST - 9th September

  Sarge:

  All along, I thought Hitomi Kuroki has been playing Yuriko Koike as a politician in real life!

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  JoeBigs at 10:31 AM JST - 9th September

  ‘‘What I will aim for is to change this world, the system of Japanese society.

  Hell if this woman wants to change the world then become a teacher and stay the hell out of politics.

  I hate when bleeding hearts like this try to mold the world in their own image. Sorry lady, but Japan is just fine without your screwed up ideas. If you want to do some good, then do something about all those lame soup operas my wife keeps watching!

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  Canukle at 11:11 AM JST - 9th September

  *Cow - Comes as no surprise, but your student is seeing it wrong. It's not a race to have a female leader first. In that regard, Japan will have to go for the bronze among G8 countries; the UK's Thatcher and Germany's Merkel coming in 1 and 2. *

  It actually makes Japan 4th as Canada had a female PM in the 90s for a summer. Kim Campbell...not very effective, but she was the Prime Minister, almost in the same sort of position that Koike would find herself, as a bit of a stop-gap leader. Once the general election hit, out went Campbell. If Koike does happen to be chosen as the leader of the LDP, will the Japanese general public vote for her? Sad to say but from the looks of things, Aso has it sewn up, and all of thesechoice` candidates are just window dressing.

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  akuma1985 at 01:18 PM JST - 9th September

  good luck for koike. in every case we will have a new election next year. Koizumi must come back.

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  akuma1985 at 01:25 PM JST - 9th September

  I think than Koike san can be a good PM. better that fukuda or Abe. and better that the other candidate.

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  sk4ek at 11:44 PM JST - 9th September

  Can you imagine having to listen to Ishiba every day at PM press conferences??? "Pendantic" is putting it politely--I think the populace would revolt just to get him away from a microphone.

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  jimmystone at 02:08 AM JST - 10th September

  i think that she is the best person to be the next pm,,but this is japan they only choose the dummies and not the smartest person because she is a woman,,,,

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