When Prime Minister Fumio Kishida tapped Yuko Obuchi to be chair of the Liberal Democratic Party's election strategy committee last week as part of a Cabinet reshuffle and party leadership change, he said she would be an important public face for the LDP at election time.
Kishida says Obuchi is the right person for the job. But the former trade minister appears to be more of a liability right now, being unable to shake off a past scandal and facing new ones. Her appointment to one of the LDP’s top positions also means she will have to work more closely with Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, who sees her as a potential rival.
Obuchi’s role will be to establish strategies for the LDP during national elections. She will be involved in the preparatory procedures for selecting candidates, collecting and analyzing election-related information, and ensuring candidates get the necessary party support. It’s a role that will require her to carefully coordinate with other senior LDP leadership members such as Motegi, as well as the party’s rank-and-file.