Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who is running to become the next leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, apologized Friday after admitting that a member of his election campaign team had asked supporters to post favorable comments about him online.

According to the Thursday edition of the weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun, the office of former digital transformation minister Karen Makishima, in charge of public relations for Koizumi, sent an email requesting that supporters post comments favorable to him on an online video.

The email listed examples of comments, such as "He is sure to be president of the LDP," and "It's amazing he convinced (Prime Minister Shigeru) Ishiba."

"It was inappropriate that there were some excessive expressions, and we will be sure to prevent any recurrence. I apologize," Koizumi told a news conference, denying his involvement in the requests.

Makishima released a statement saying, "Some expressions went too far because I did not make adequate checks."