The Sept. 27 election, triggered by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's decision not to seek reelection amid a party funding scandal, is expected to be the most crowded in the LDP's history since the current selection system was implemented in 1971.
The race has been thrown wide open due to the diminishing influence of party factions in the wake of the financial impropriety allegations.
As of Sunday, three lawmakers had officially announced their candidacies, including former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi, ex-Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and Digital Minister Taro Kono. Several other high-profile figures, such as Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi, are expected to join the race soon.
The election process involves 367 LDP parliamentarians and an equal number of votes allocated to rank-and-file members. If no candidate secures a majority in the first round, a run-off will be held between the top two contenders, with the winner almost certainly becoming Japan's next prime minister due to the LDP's majority in both houses of parliament.
