The Liberal Democratic Party quickly wrapped up its discussions to extend the maximum tenure of its president. However, the ruling party does not seem to be paying much attention to more complicated and serious issues that concern its future.
In just about a month after the party's political reform panel led by Vice President Masahiko Komura began discussions on the matter, the LDP effectively decided in late October to allow its president to run for three consecutive three-year terms, instead of the current maximum of two terms — a decision scheduled to be officially endorsed in a party convention next year. That will pave the way for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the incumbent party chief, to run for yet another term as LDP president when his current term ends in September 2018. Initial calls for caution over the change by the potential post-Abe leaders who stand to see their chances of a near-term ascent to the party presidency dashed, such as Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and former Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba, quickly faded away.
Right after Abe led the LDP to a fourth straight national election victory in the Upper House campaign in July, a majority of lawmakers who advocated extending the tenure were calling for the change as a special case for Abe's benefit, so that he could remain in office to host the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Therefore, not just Kishida or Ishiba but others, including Shinjiro Koizumi, son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and considered a future potential party leader, expressed their doubt that this was an issue deserving of the party's priority attention.