Who Will be Japan’s Next Prime Minister?

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After Fumio Kishida announced he’d be stepping down as Prime Minister and leader of the LDP, a very competitive leadership race began that saw name candidates enter the fray. So in this video, we break down the frontrunners and their differing policies.

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1 – https://japan-forward.com/understanding-the-ldp-leadership-election/
2 – https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/11/japan/politics/curtain-raiser-ldp-presidential-election/
3 – https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASS9B3SR5S9BULFA00MM.html
4 – https://apnews.com/article/japan-governing-party-prime-minister-kishida-candidates-8dae3f367e20dd8ef4ad4f370c586b5c
5 – https://x.com/RinNishimura/status/1833779474929975789
6 – https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/12/japan/politics/ldp-presidential-race-campaigning/
7 – https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-prime-minister-hopeful-koizum-says-he-plans-immediate-economic-package-2024-09-06/
8 – https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/12/japan-should-scrap-nuclear-reactors-after-fukushima-says-new-environment-minister
9 – https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15417021
10 – https://www.ft.com/content/4b354025-3215-46d7-bb32-6cdda6aefd57
11 – https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/09/japan/politics/sanae-takaichi-ldp-presser/
12 – https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15419901

00:00 Introduction
01:04 How the Election Works
02:40 Candidate 1: Shigeru Ishiba
03:58 Candidate 2: Shinjiro Koizumi
05:21 Candidate 3: Sanae Takaichi
06:22 Polling

47 Comments

  1. I have lived in Japan since 2012. One political problem here is that young people don't vote. They are totally disinterested in politics. Old people come out and vote and they tend to vote conservative = LDP.

  2. One thing you failed to mention is that many of the candidates are scions of various political dynasties. Most notable is Shinjiro Koizumi, whose old man is former PM Junichiro Koizumi, who served from 2001-2006. (The second longest serving PM in the 21st century only after Shinzo Abe)

    Secondly, though the LDP says the factions are "officially dissolved" as a result of the slush fund scandal, the personal networks of those factions still remain, and how the old faction bosses vote will still be influential.

  3. Nuclear power plants are difficult for Japan, which suffers from many natural disasters such as earthquakes. Have you forgotten the Fukushima accident of the Great East Japan Earthquake?

  4. It's a well-known fact that the LDP is a puppet government created after World War II with financial support from the CIA. If lawmakers want to continue winning elections, you just need to curry favor with the United States and implement policies that oppress the Japanese. That way you'll get the votes of the cult Unification Church and corporations that are covered in vested interests. Incidentally, most of the Japanese mass media is government PR, so it doesn't work.

  5. Here are some famous quotes by Koizumi (Translated by human, because I thought it's better funnier)
    "Japan is not going to be better. That's why I think Japan is not going to be better."
    "It's not sexy to explain how sexy it is"
    "I've been thinking about how old I would be after 30 years since the earthquake"
    "Thanks to remote working, the number of jobs that can be done by working remotely is increasing, thanks to remote working"
    "Being indifferent to politics enables you to stay indifferent to politics"
    "I'll try my best to keep the promise because promises are made to be kept"
    "I don't know but somehow suddenly the number 46 came into my mind. That's where the number comes from ¯_(ツ)_/¯"
    "Endoresu (endless, I don't know what it means in this context. Nobody knows.) you're right"
    "I'm sorry that I don't look like I'm sorry although I'm saying I'm sorry"
    "I was using a water bottle but I wasn't" (W H A T)
    "We're like oil and water but if mixed together we'll be a nice dressing"
    "It's the best way to learn how to communicate to watch myself talking in the video"

  6. I think the information on the nuclear policies of the candidates are a bit old. Now both Ishiba and Koizumi has toned down a bit and are not outright opposed to nuclear energy, though not entirely supportive either.

  7. Japanese governmental leadership leaning into deeper militarization against China and Korea at the same time Germany bolsters its military against Russians? Both seeding ground to fascism? Close enough, welcome back 1939