With voters having delivered their verdict on the administration of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the spotlight is now shifting to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party — where some longtime aspiring leaders are cautiously working to consolidate their positions.
While several of the party’s local chapters have issued formal demands for the executive leadership to resign, coupled with a growing sense that Ishiba can’t remain as head of the party, the weakening of past factional ties is making it difficult for those opposed to the LDP president to join forces.
On Wednesday, former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi reportedly met with some of the lawmakers who had supported her unsuccessful bid against Ishiba for the party leadership last September. Later the same day, Takaichi met with former Prime Minister Taro Aso, who had worked to coalesce support around her candidacy during that leadership race.
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