Last week, news broke that Liberal Democratic Party heavyweight Yoshimasa Hayashi will try using the next general election to trade his House of Councilors seat for one in the House of Representatives.
Hayashi is not the first in Japanese politics to make the switch from the Upper House to Lower House, but many might be wondering why.
The move by Hayashi is worthy of attention for two reasons. First, he has had his eyes set on the prime ministership for over a decade; thus, this latest development suggests that he is positioning himself for the post-Suga LDP. Second, it offers a window into Japan's political power dynamics, both in the government and inside the ruling LDP.