Seiko Noda, executive acting secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who is among four candidates for the Sept. 29 party presidential election, speaks at a meeting of parents of children with disabilities on Sept. 18, 2021, in Tokyo. (Kyodo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Seiko Noda, a candidate to succeed Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, called Saturday for COVID-19 vaccines to be administered to children aged 11 and under.

       The health ministry currently approves shots developed by Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. for people aged 12 and higher. The vaccine created by AstraZeneca Plc is also available for ages 40 and up, and people allergic to the other shots.

       Noda, executive acting secretary general of the LDP, made the comments during a debate with the three other candidates ahead of the Sept. 29 LDP presidential election, which effectively decides the next prime minister as the party and its coalition partner Komeito control both houses of parliament.

       Asked about the need for stronger restrictions to contain future COVID-19 outbreaks, both vaccination minister Taro Kono and former communications minister Sanae Takaichi touched on the need for legislation to enable the government to impose citywide lockdowns as some other countries have done.

       "We need to be ready to take strong steps to stop people from moving around when we truly need to," Kono told the event at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo.

       Takaichi vowed to invest in the development of Japan-made COVID-19 vaccines and treatments if she wins the party election.

       Fumio Kishida, a former chairman of the LDP Policy Research Council, reiterated his plan to draw up an economic package worth "tens of trillions of yen" to help people and businesses hit hard by the pandemic.

       Kishida also said he would not raise the consumption tax from the current 10 percent for about 10 years.

       Kono argued for "drastic" changes to the country's pension system to ensure younger generations do not get the short end of the stick.

       Noda called for abolishing LDP factions in order to push forward party reform.

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