Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers are actively forming new groups after most of the ruling party's traditional factions went defunct amid public criticism of their recent slush-fund scandal.
While the minority government of Prime Minister and LDP President Shigeru Ishiba is struggling, his peers in the party are busy preparing for a possible sudden shift in the political situation that could result in a leadership change.
They have set up parliamentarian leagues and study groups to realize specific policies. Traditional faction-based gatherings continue, although most factions have shut their offices or disbanded.
Last month, former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi attended a meeting of a group of conservative LDP lawmakers, many of whom supported her in the party's presidential election in September 2024.
"Let's come together again and work hard," she was quoted as saying at the gathering. Sources said Takaichi is considering forming a new policy study group.
At the meeting, many participants expressed opposition to a proposal to introduce a selective dual surname system for married couples widely supported by ruling and opposition lawmakers other than LDP members.
Takaichi apparently aims to attract support from conservative voters ahead of this year's election for the House of Councilors, the upper chamber of the Diet, or Japan's parliament.
Former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi created a study group to discuss national visions, which is set to hold its next meeting this month.
The first meeting last month drew around 30 participants, including middle-ranking and young lawmakers who backed Kobayashi in the LDP presidential race, as well as veterans such as Yasukazu Hamada, who chairs the steering committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the parliament, and Junichi Ishii, the LDP's Diet affairs head in the Upper House.
"There will be a presidential election someday. I will build relationships with colleagues so I can run," Kobayashi has said in an internet program.
Former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who had led his now-defunct faction, supports the Ishiba administration, but he is actively engaged in group activities. He became supreme adviser at a recently created parliamentarian league for decarbonization in Asia.
"I hope to discuss and act with many people," Kishida said in the group's first general meeting.
Members include former LDP policy leader Koichi Hagiuda and former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.
Kishida has established a parliamentarian league to promote wealth creation through asset management. Those who have joined include his close aide, LDP Election Strategy Committee Chairman Seiji Kihara, and former LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, whose faction had gone defunct.
Even after he left office as prime minister and dissolved his faction, Kishida dines with lawmakers from the faction. He apparently hopes to keep the former members united while trying to strengthen cooperation with other LDP lawmakers who are influential.
Lawmakers from the defunct factions that had been led by Motegi and former Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai also hold gatherings in a bid to maintain unity among former faction members.
But moves to create fresh groups and hold gatherings of former faction members may be seen as a revival of the factional politics at the core of the scandal.
A member of the faction led by LDP supreme adviser Taro Aso expressed concern over how voters could view the current developments ahead of the Upper House election.
"It's too early to look ahead," a senior LDP member said, warning that premature moves to seek a post-Ishiba leader could backfire.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.