Koizumi makes economic growth top priority in bid for LDP presidency

Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi used a news conference Saturday in Tokyo to unveil a raft of policies, including a push to make economic growth a top priority if he is elected as the next Liberal Democratic Party president.

“My role is to break through the conventional wisdom of economic management from the deflation era and build a new approach suited for the era of inflation,” Koizumi, 44, said, adding that he would aim to raise the average yearly wage by ¥1 million by fiscal 2030.

As a first step to ensure pay hikes outpace inflation, Koizumi said he will “immediately” submit a supplementary budget for fiscal 2025 to parliament focusing on measures to combat inflation. He also promised to abolish the provisional gasoline tax as soon as possible — legislation that opposition parties have long supported.

Speaking to reporters in Saitama Prefecture on Sunday, Koizumi also said he does not intend to call a snap election in the near future if he wins the race and becomes prime minister. The prime minister has the power to dissolve the Lower House of parliament to call a general election.

"The priority is putting policies into actions rather than creating a further political vacuum," he said.

In contrast with his unsuccessful campaign for the top LDP post last year, Koizumi appeared to appeal to conservative party members during the Saturday news conference by playing down his progressive stance on allowing married couples to have separate surnames and avoided commenting on whether he would continue visiting the war-linked Yasukuki Shrine if elected LDP leader.

Pressed on why he did not include the separate surnames issue in his main policy platform, Koizumi — who has long sought to cast himself as a reform-oriented maverick — said that although his stance hasn’t changed, there is also “a need to be clear on which policies take priority over another in politics.”

On immigration-related issues, he also proposed establishing a “central command body” to tackle concerns that have garnered headlines recently in Japan, including tensions between foreign residents and locals, overtourism and the growing number of land purchases by foreign nationals.

On the topic of rebuilding the LDP’s tattered reputation following a partywide funds scandal, Koizumi said that he would strive to ensure transparency by creating a solid foundation that would never breed another scandal.

“I understand that the current LDP is not in a position to make bold claims,” he said. “That’s exactly why I ask you to watch us as we move forward, step by step.”

Koizumi, a six-term Lower House lawmaker, currently serves as agriculture minister in Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s Cabinet, having replaced his predecessor, Taku Eto, who resigned in May following a gaffe amid soaring rice prices.

“I would like to express my sincere respect for Prime Minister Ishiba’s efforts to move politics forward through careful management of parliament and dialogue with the opposition, despite the difficult circumstances of leading a minority government,” Koizumi said.

But it’s unclear whether Ishiba and his allies will support Koizumi or Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, who is the government’s top spokesperson, in the LDP leadership race.

Koizumi, however, will be able to count on the backing of Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato and former digital transformation minister Taro Kono and their allies.

Kato, who ran for the LDP leadership slot in the last party election, passed this time to instead head up Koizumi’s election strategy headquarters. His close ties to the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may help Koizumi attract support from members of the LDP’s conservative wing.

Kono, who like Koizumi hails from Kanagawa Prefecture, also opted not to run, calling Koizumi on Friday “the best suited” to “lead a party reboot.”

In last year’s contest, Koizumi was able to gain support from former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his allies. The two also share the same Kanagawa home base.

Koizumi is expected to be the fifth and final candidate to enter the race following Hayashi, 64, conservative former economic ministers Sanae Takaichi, 64, and Takayuki Kobayashi, 50, and former LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, 69. The LDP will hold a news conference on Monday to introduce all the candidates.

A Jiji Press poll released Thursday showed Koizumi as the most favored candidate, with 23.8% of respondents choosing him as the best choice for LDP president.

That put him ahead of Takaichi, with 21.0% and Hayashi and Motegi, who were tied at 5.9% each. Kobayashi came in last at 3.1% in the poll that was conducted from Sept. 12 through Monday.

Koizumi is popular within the party, having thrown his support behind numerous candidates by traveling nationwide to speak at rallies. He is also a respected figure within 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 newer LDP lawmakers.