Foreign Minister Taro Aso became the second person to announce his candidacy for the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election next month, following Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki. Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, the front-runner in the race, is expected to throw his hat into the ring Sept. 1.
It is hoped that Mr. Aso's entry will stir up debate among the candidates on policy matters. This is all the more important since many LDP lawmakers appear to have jumped on the Abe bandwagon to try to line up good positions in the party or in the Cabinet and, as a result, have lost interest in policy discussions that could be divisive.
Since former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda decided not to enter the LDP race, Mr. Abe has built a massive lead. According to a recent poll by Kyodo News, 53 percent of those surveyed support Mr. Abe as the next prime minister -- for which becoming LDP president is a prerequisite -- leaving his rivals far behind. A mere 14.8 percent are said to favor Mr. Tanigaki, and 11.2 percent support Mr. Aso.