Three politicians have officially put their names forward for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election campaign set to officially start Sept. 17: Former Policy Research Council Chairperson Fumio Kishida, Former Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Sanae Takaichi, and Minister in charge of Administrative Reform Taro Kono.

       The presidential contest is the second in a year to decide who will be LDP leader, and prime minister for the remainder of the current House of Representatives' term in office. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his successor, current Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, both stumbled in their response to the coronavirus pandemic.

       If this contest were going ahead as they originally intended, it should begin with a comprehensive review of the Abe and Suga administrations, which have persisted with top-down policy decisions and less emphasis on dialogue with the public. Despite this, the candidates are moving to subdue their personal policy positions, in what appear to be quite striking attempts to pay consideration to former Prime Minister Abe and the party's conservative factions.

       Initially, when asked about the possibility of another probe into the Abe administration's involvement in the Moritomo Gakuen scandal involving a cut-price public land deal to a nationalist school operator, Kishida initially said the "public should decide whether the initial investigation was sufficient." But just days later he clearly refused the idea, saying he was "not considering it." The sense spread that Kishida had switched policies.

       At the press conference announcing his candidacy, Kono emphasized that "the foundations of Japan are its Imperial family and the Japanese language." In the past, he has acknowledged the need for a review of the Imperial family including the question of female emperors, but avoided a clear statement on the issue. His positions on doing away with nuclear energy have also course-corrected.

       The contest has become fierce, because of former Prime Minister Abe's influence over the party's largest Hosoda faction and his behavior as a kind of kingmaker. Abe-backed candidate Takaichi is forwarding the views of the party's conservative factions.

       Kishida and Kono also appear to be making choices out of deference to Abe, and a free exchange of policy ideas cannot be expected from this contest.

       At the presidential election held in autumn 2020 following Abe's resignation, the major factions put their support behind the "winning horse," and chose Suga. His policies and qualities as a candidate were not sufficiently scrutinized.

       The vote this time will not be like the truncated one that came before it. It will be a full election, with votes cast by Diet lawmakers, party members and fraternity members. We call for an active contest.

       What will be subject to attention is how the party factions' grip has weakened. Mid-ranking and young lawmakers voluntary put together a joint recommendation for a free vote.

       With the lower house election in sight, there is a greater sense that the vote is about choosing a face for the general election. But just changing the administration's branding won't lead to solutions to the fundamental issues.

       What is under scrutiny is the limits of the politics of Abe and Suga as demonstrated by their coronavirus countermeasures. A free, open debate that listens to the wide range of public opinions should go ahead.

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