Since the ruling Liberal Democratic Party lost its Upper House majority in an election on July 20, opinion polls have shown farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi emerging as the top pick for the “next prime minister” among both supporters of the party and unaffiliated voters.
Koizumi is also popular within the party, having thrown his support behind various candidates by traveling nationwide to speak at their public rallies. He is a respected figure in the LDP’s youth bureau, which he chaired between 2011 and 2013. As a legacy lawmaker, the son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has used his influence to speak on behalf of party rookies.
Amid calls to oust Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, however, the younger Koizumi has dodged questions about his boss, who is also LDP president, unlike other lawmakers who have openly demanded his resignation.
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