Summary
A leadership election was held in the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan on 22 September 2008 after the incumbent party leader and Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fukuda announced that he would resign on 1 September 2008, only 11 months after taking office on 25 September 2007 following a leadership election on 23 September 2007. Taro Aso, who had lost to Fukuda in the 2007 leadership election, was widely seen as the frontrunner to replace him,[1] and announced on 2 September 2008 he was ready to take over as party leader.[2] Aso won the leadership election against four opponents, receiving 67% of the vote.[3]
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It was reported that Yuriko Koike, a former defence chief who is seen as close to former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, might stand against Aso; in that case, the LDP leadership election would be a decision between the conservative traditionalist Aso and the unorthodox reformist Koike.[4] Economics minister Kaoru Yosano and former transport minister Nobuteru Ishihara, the son of the controversial right-wing nationalist governor of Tokyo Shintarō Ishihara, also indicated they might run,[5] as did former defence minister Shigeru Ishiba, senior vice foreign minister Ichita Yamamoto and former science and economic minister Yasufumi Tanahashi.[6] Campaigning began on 10 September 2008;[7] a total of 528 people are eligible to vote (387 Diet members and 141 prefectural representatives).[8]
To stand in the election, candidates had to gather twenty signatures from electors. Aso formally declared his candidacy on 5 September 2008,[9] and Koike on 8 September 2008.[10] Yosano, Ishiba and Ishihara also filed to run, while Yamamoto and Tanahashi decided not to stand for the leadership.[11][12] Koizumi announced he would support and vote for Koike.[13]
By election day, Aso had secured the votes of at least 60% of the electors and was assumed to win the election in the first round.[14]
Aso went on to win the election by a landslide 351 votes. Yosano got 66 votes, Koike 46, Ishihara 37 and Ishiba 25.[3][15] Aso was sworn in as Prime Minister on 24 September 2008. Some speculated that a general election would be called on 3 October for 26 October 2008 following the leadership election, but this failed to materialise.[16][17][18][19]
Candidates edit
Declared edit
| Candidate(s) | Date of birth | Current position | Party faction | Electoral district | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
17 April 1957 (age 51) |
Member of the House of Representatives (since 1990) Previous offices held
|
Kinmirai Seiji Kenkyūkai (Yamasaki) |
 | |
 |
15 July 1952 (age 56) |
Member of the House of Representatives (since 1993) Previous offices held
|
Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai (Machimura) |
| |
 |
20 September 1940 (age 68) |
Member of the House of Representatives (1979-1983, since 1986) Previous offices held
|
Ikōkai (Asō) |
 | |
 |
4 February 1957 (age 51) |
Member of the House of Representatives (since 1986) Previous offices held
|
Heisei Kenkyūkai (Tsushima) |
 | |
 |
22 August 1938 (age 70) |
Member of the House of Representatives (1976-1979, 1980-2000, since 2003) Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy (2005-2006, since 2008) Minister of State for Regulatory Reform (since 2008) Previous offices held
|
None | | |
Results edit
| Candidates | Members | Party | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taro Aso | 134 | 217 | 351 |
| Kaoru Yosano | 2 | 64 | 66 |
| Yuriko Koike | 0 | 46 | 46 |
| Nobuteru Ishihara | 1 | 36 | 37 |
| Shigeru Ishiba | 4 | 21 | 25 |
| Grand Total | 141 | 384 | 525 |
- 2 invalid votes
Past leadership elections edit
References edit
- ^ "Japanese prime minister resigns - International Herald Tribune". Archived from the original on 2008-09-05. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
- ^ BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Japan's Aso 'ready for PM role'
- ^ a b "Aso elected LDP head" Archived 2008-09-25 at the Wayback Machine, The Yomiuri Shimbun, 22 September 2008.
- ^ AFP: Koike eyes bid as Japan's first woman PM Archived 2011-05-20 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Japanese leadership race hots up
- ^ Search - Global Edition - The New York Times
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ Ishihara, Yosano voice intentions to stand for LDP presidential election - People's Daily Online
- ^ Aso formally announces bid for Japan's ruling party presidency - People's Daily Online
- ^ Koike kandidiert für Amt des japanischen Regierungschefs (International, NZZ Online)
- ^ "The Times & the Sunday Times".
- ^ Official campaigning starts to choose new Japanese leader - People's Daily Online
- ^ Japans Expremier Koizumi will eine Frau an der Macht - Politik - dieStandard.at › Politik
- ^ Aso zum LDP-Vorsitzenden gewählt - Japan - derStandard.at › International
- ^ AFP.com - International News, Photos, Videos, Graphics, World[permanent dead link]
- ^ Japan Election May Come by November, LDP Strategist Koga Says - Bloomberg.com
- ^ Fünf Kandidaten wollen glücklosen Regierungschef beerben - Japan - derStandard.at › International
- ^ Japan to dissolve lower house in October for November election - report - Forbes.com
- ^ Japan's LDP Eyes Election as Early as Oct. 26, Yomiuri Says - Bloomberg.com