Shigeru Ishiba Announces LDP Presidential Candidacy

Former Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced his candidacy for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election scheduled for September 27, marking his fifth attempt for the position. Ishiba emphasized the need for clean politics to restore public trust, which has been shaken by recent scandals involving the LDP. He described this upcoming election as his 'last fight' after a 38-year political career, during which he has previously lost to notable leaders like Shinzo Abe and Yoshihide Suga. With Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stepping down, the next LDP leader is likely to become Japan's next prime minister due to the party's control over both parliamentary houses. Ishiba has expressed support for normalizing the Bank of Japan's monetary policy to improve economic conditions. As the election approaches, several other candidates, including former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, are expected to announce their bids.