Fumio Kishida announces in Tokyo on Sept. 2, 2021, his policies for the upcoming ruling Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election. (Kyodo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday pledged an economic package totaling tens of trillions of yen to contain the coronavirus crisis as part of his policy platform for the upcoming ruling Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election.

       Kishida, 64, who has announced his bid for the Sept. 29 LDP leadership race to challenge incumbent Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, vowed to reduce the number of people without access to medical care to zero by securing enough hospital beds for COVID-19 patients and create a health crisis management agency that exercises strong leadership at a time of public health crisis.

       "There are many voices among the people that the government is not providing enough explanations about its coronavirus response, and that it is too optimistic in grasping the situation," Kishida told a press conference.

       "I will always keep in mind the worst case scenarios in managing a crisis, without thinking it is probably going to be okay," he said, displaying his stance of focusing on the crisis management amid growing public discontent with the government's antivirus measures.

       He added that he will "personally offer thorough explanations about the government's (coronavirus) policy, its need and the process that led to the decision" to gain people's understanding.

       He made the pledges as the Suga government faces criticism over the recent spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, which has put a strain on the country's medical system, as well as the slow progress in its inoculation drive.

       Kishida also called for the introduction of digital vaccine passports proving a person's record of inoculation to facilitate economic activities once the spread of the virus comes under control.

       With the implementation of the economic package, Kishida proposed to hand out cash to people affected by government policies and those hit financially by the pandemic as a measure to help curb the number of people going outside until more COVID-19 medications and treatments are developed.

       The policies he announced were limited to the coronavirus, and he is expected to announce his other policies at a later date.

       The election, with campaigning set to start on Sept. 17, is so far expected to be a race between Suga, Kishida and former internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi. It will be Kishida's second bid after one in September 2020.

       Last week, Kishida, who heads an LDP faction with over 40 members, said that if he were elected LDP president, he would limit the terms of LDP executives -- excluding the president -- to up to three years, in order to prevent the concentration of power.

       In his first bid for the 2020 LDP presidential election, Kishida, who hails from a political family in Hiroshima, came second behind Suga. Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba came third.

       Kishida served as foreign minister and chairman of the LDP Policy Research Council under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

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