Female members of the Liberal Democratic Party are stepping up their efforts to run in the next LDP presidential election. Tomomi Inada, 61, executive acting secretary general of the LDP, has coauthored a book with a female Diet member close to her. Meanwhile, former Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Seiko Noda, 59, has held numerous intraparty meetings. However, as their foundations within the party are weak, their task is to secure the necessary supporters to run for the presidency.
On Thursday, Inada held a party at the Parliamentary Museum to celebrate the publication of her book. She said emphatically: "It is women who can change Japan at this turning point [created by] the novel coronavirus outbreak. I want to change the landscape of Japan."
"I want her to lead Japan with her unique perspective as a woman," Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai said at the party.
Inada is known as a conservative debater but her coauthored books emphasize policies on women. In June, she formed a parliamentary group with Hakubun Shimomura, chairperson of the party's Election Strategy Committee and a fellow member of the Hosoda faction, to discuss society after the end of the coronavirus outbreak. She also plans to publish a book describing her policies later this year.
However, broadening her policies has also produced a backlash. Conservative lawmakers who had worked with Inada distanced themselves from her after she showed understanding of the introduction of a system that would allow married couples to choose to have separate surnames. "It will be quite a blow if she runs for president," an LDP member said.
Noda is also eager to run in the next LDP presidential election. On July 21, she had dinner with seven Diet members, including former House of Councillors Vice President Hidehisa Otsuji, and asked them for support in the LDP presidential election. In the 2015 and 2018 presidential elections, she gave up on running due to a lack of supporters. For this reason, she is trying to win people over early.
At the end of last year, however, she was refused admission to the Yurinkai group led by former LDP President Sadakazu Tanigaki. It is difficult for her to build her foundation in the LDP.
Some members of the Takeshita faction want former Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi, 46, a member of the faction, to become the party's president. Since resigning as minister in 2014 over the "politics and money" issue, she has refrained from carrying out public activities. But she became vice chairperson of the Liberal Democratic Party's special committee, which was set up on Thursday to discuss a national strategy. The Takeshita faction also includes Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Katsunobu Kato, both of whom are believed to be potential successors to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Many believe Obuchi is the next-generation candidate for the presidency.
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