2018 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) presidential election explained

Election Name:2018 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election
Flag Image:Liberal Democratic Party of Japan logo.svg
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2015 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election
Previous Year:2015
Next Election:2020 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election
Next Year:2020
Election Date:20 September 2018
1Blank:LDP MPs
2Blank:Party members
3Blank:Total
Candidate1:Shinzo Abe
Color1:438C15
Leaders Seat1:Yamaguchi-4th
1Data1:329 (81.8%)
2Data1:224 (55.3%)
3Data1:553 (68.5%)
Candidate2:Shigeru Ishiba
Color2:0B75D9
Leaders Seat2:Tottori-1st
1Data2:73 (18.2%)
2Data2:181 (44.7%)
3Data2:254 (31.5%)
President
Before Election:Shinzo Abe
After Election:Shinzo Abe

A presidential election was held on 20 September 2018 to elect the next president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan for a new 3-year term. Incumbent president Shinzo Abe was running for re-election after a rule change in 2017 that allowed him to run for a third term.[1]

Abe's subsequent victory[2] led to him staying as prime minister for just under two years. In this time, on 22 November 2019, he broke the record for the nation's longest-serving prime ministership previously held by Taro Katsura, who had served three times between 1901 and 1913. He also served the longest uninterrupted term by 24 August 2020, ahead of Eisaku Satō's 2,797 days, before resigning four days later.

Background

Scandals

In March 2018, it was revealed that the Finance Ministry (with finance minister Tarō Asō at its head) had falsified documents presented to the parliament in relation to the Moritomo Gakuen scandal, to remove 14 passages implicating Abe.[3] It has been suggested that the scandal could cost Abe his seat as the Liberal Democratic Party's leader.[3] A Kyodo poll showed the Japanese government popularity's has fallen as low as 30% from 44% in February.[4]

Candidates

Nominated

Candidate(s)Date of birthNotable positionsParty faction(s)District(s)AnnouncedReference(s)
Shinzo Abe21 September 1954
None Yamaguchi 4th district26 August[5]
Shigeru Ishiba4 February 1957
Member of the House of Representatives
Defense Minister
2008, 2012 LDP leadership candidate
Suigetsukai Tottori 1st district1 September [6] [7]

Supporters

Shinzo Abe[8] !style="width:7em;"
Shigeru Ishiba[9]
Leader of Supporters Seiko HashimotoHidehisa Otsuji
Campaign Manager Akira AmariYoshihisa Furukawa
SupportersHirotaka Ishihara
Seishiro Eto
Toshiaki Endo
Toshitaka Ōoka
Tetsushi Sakamoto
Katsuei Hirasawa
Noriko Horiuchi
Mitsuhiro Miyakoshi
Hiromichi Watanabe
Shigeharu Aoyama
Haruko Arimura
Masahisa Sato
Emiko Takashina
Yoshifumi Tsuge
Ichiro Tsukada
Takashi Hanyuda
Toru Miki
Toshiei Mizuochi
Junichi Ishii
Yoshifumi Matsumura
Kazuhiko Aoki
Saburo Shimada
Shoji Maitate
Satoshi Nakanishi
Seiichiro Murakami
Gen Nakatani
Kisaburo Tokai
Keiichiro Tachibana
Tatsuya Ito
Norihisa Tamura
Ryosei Akazawa
Masaaki Taira
Mamoru Fukuyama
Yoshinori Tadokoro
Saichi Kamiyama
Hiroyuki Togashi

Expressed intention but did not have enough supporters for nomination

Speculative

Declined

Results

!!MPs!Party members!Total points
Shinzo Abe329 (82%)355,487 (55.4%, 224 pts)553 (68.5%)
Shigeru Ishiba73 (18%)286,003 (44.6%, 181 pts)254 (31.5%)
Total402641,490 (405 pts)807

Notes and References

  1. News: Abe could become Japan's longest serving premier. Al Jazeera. 6 March 2017. 20 December 2017.
  2. Web site: Japan's Shinzo Abe wins ruling party leadership vote . 10 May 2024 . 20 Sep 2018. Al Jazeera.
  3. News: Japan fake document scandal shakes Abe government. Financial Times. 12 March 2018. Harding. Robin.
  4. Web site: Abe's popularity falls as document-altering scandal continues.
  5. News: Abe throws hat into LDP chief race; duel with Ishiba looms. Asahi Shimbun. 26 August 2018. 27 August 2018. 26 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180826113630/http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201808260031.html. dead.
  6. News: Ambitious Shigeru Ishiba the man to watch as campaign to topple Shinzo Abe begins. Julian. Ryall. South China Morning Post. 24 May 2017. 20 December 2017.
  7. News: Ishiba to run for LDP president despite numbers in Abe's favor. Asahi Shimbun. 10 August 2018. 12 August 2018. 11 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180811135556/http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201808100053.html. dead.
  8. Web site: 安倍 晋三 プロフィール|総裁選2018|自由民主党. 2018-09-20.
  9. Web site: 石破 茂 プロフィール|総裁選2018|自由民主党. 2018-09-20.
  10. News: Noda ready to take on Abe in LDP leadership election next year. Jiji Press. Jiji Press. Japan Times. 4 August 2017. 20 December 2017.
  11. News: Abe to appoint Foreign Minister Kishida to head LDP Policy Research Council. Mainichi Shimbun. 4 August 2017. 20 December 2017.
  12. News: 野田聖子氏が総裁選立候補せず、安倍首相を支持意向. Nikkan Sports. 26 August 2018. 27 August 2018. Japanese. https://web.archive.org/web/20180827115220/https://www.nikkansports.com/general/news/201808260000964.html. 27 August 2018. dead.
  13. News: In Japan, a Liberal Maverick Is Seeking to Lead a Conservative Party. Motoko. Rich. The New York Times. 17 February 2018. 18 February 2018.
  14. News: Taro Kono's clean energy critique in UAE speech fuels Abe succession talk. Isabel. Reynolds. Chisaki. Watanabe. Japan Times. 17 January 2018. 18 January 2018.
  15. News: Abe's Cabinet Reshuffle, Explained. Michael MacArthur. Bossack. The Diplomat. 5 August 2017. 20 December 2017.
  16. News: Who Will Lead Japan after September?. Rob. Fahey. Tokyo Review. 22 March 2018. 22 March 2018.
  17. News: Kishida eyes prime ministership as LDP's Kochi Kai faction celebrates 60th anniversary. Jiji Press. Jiji Press. Japan Times. 29 May 2017. 20 December 2017.
  18. News: Kishida decides against running in LDP election, will support Abe. Shinobu. Konno. Asahi Shimbun. 25 July 2018. 12 August 2018. 12 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180812114614/http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201807250037.html. dead.