Taro Kono's daily planner is filled with events stumping for fellow Liberal Democratic Party members who plan to run in the upcoming lower house election. As many as six people's names are listed on the busiest days, and Kono plans to keep up the pace until the day before the election.
"Unfortunately, I didn't have enough power to win the presidential election, but I will spend the rest of my life trying to return the favor [for your support]," Kono said in Inazawa, Aichi Prefecture, on Sunday afternoon as he advocated for a then House of Representatives member who had supported for Kono in his bid to become the LDP's president.
On that day, Kono, who is the chairperson of the LDP's Public Relations Headquarters, visited five constituencies in the prefecture and made soapbox speeches in four locations.
Kono's schedule is so packed that he had to eat his boxed lunch while listening to local people connected to the party talk about various aspects of the election.
In the campaign for the LDP presidency, Kono did well with rank-and-file members and members of affiliated groups, but lacked enough support from Diet members. Many are not fond of Kono's outspokenness. In addition, his advocacy for a guaranteed minimum pension evoked the idea of a tax hike, and thus drew opposition.
Nevertheless, Kono is well known for his role at the forefront of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
"I've seen your face on TV," said a medical worker who was administering vaccine at a vaccination site in Nagoya City that Kono visited on the campaign trail.
"Thank you," Kono replied with a smile.
Over 80 lower house hopefuls have requested support from Kono, and he has responded by visiting 26 constituencies in nine prefectures from Oct. 8-17.
The aspirants Kono has supported are mainly midranking and young LDP candidates who voted for him in the presidential election. However, Kono has also supported LDP candidates who cast their vote for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
"I'm going to support [candidates] regardless of whether I received their vote or not," Kono said to those around him. "My job now is to stump for people and try to win as many seats as possible [for the party]."
The question is whether Kono will be able to make the lower house election, in which he is sweating as the LDP's "face of the election campaign," the first step in another bid for the prime ministership.
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