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© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Ruling party kicks off race to pick Suga's successor
By MARI YAMAGUCHI TOKYO©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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Japan Violet
"Ruling Party Kicks Off Race to pick Taro Kono".
Monty
I guess Kishida will make it.
Mickelicious
Pfft.
ShinkansenCaboose
I think Noda
Happy Day
Takaichi makes no bones about standing up for Japan and makes no attempt to be PC. The others are too weak-kneed, focusing on being popular on social media, diversity issues, or making vague claims about "new capitalism" or "climate change".
If Japan is looking for a strong leader, it's Takaichi by a landslide. I think she would make Japan great again.
PhantomAgent
Sanae Takaichi
"An ultra-conservative former internal affairs minister, Takaichi, 60, shares Abe's revisionist views on Japan's wartime atrocities and hawkish stance on security."
OK, sounds like a fair choice.......Oh wait!!!!!!!!!!
Sven Asai
Yes, of course, but such an election is in most cases electing the weakest or a notorious yes sayer, so that the second and third administrative rows have free hands and can follow their intentions undisturbed. If you need a sample, well, the one still at rudder…lol
ShinkansenCaboose
My the best man win!
TheTruthIsOutThere
Masks and social distancing are only requests :-)
PhantomAgent
BTW, "the hawkish stance on security" is BS bravado!!!!
shogun36
How convenient. 2 men and 2 women, 50% ratio.
"Maybe there's hope for fairness among the sexes?"
In reality a farce just to get that joker in office.
TheTruthIsOutThere
All heads of winner, ah ah ah. Which is the least worst ?
snowymountainhell
At first glance, looked like the 4 were handcuffed together and were going to ‘have to duke it out’:
Rockos Frediman
Not knowing anything about the candidates the 2 man look hypocrites Kiss-a@@ politicians.I'd rather have the either of the women
dagon
Ruling party kicks off race to pick Suga's successor
Democracy has just about always been a sham. From Grecian elites to American slave-owners to British gentry, it has symbolized a consensus among the rulers. Japan is no different.
Rockos Frediman
After reading about them Takaichi should be the only choice
Paustovsky
Like a choice between cheap shoes at ABC Mart I suppose.
Anyone but Takaichi though, she’s proper mental.
noriahojanen
More critically, the LDP election campaign is private, not subject to the Public Offices Election Act regulating irregularities. For example, there is technically no limit of money or other means to solicit votes, putting aside some ethical issues.
noriahojanen
Listening to speeches of all four candidates addressing various policy areas, I find Noda's straightforward but well-focused and strong. Though that she's unprepared as having come into the race very late.
Noda is the least hopeful candidate this time while facing the scandal regarding her spouse's profile. But she seems to get started in shape for the next or thereafter. A few key heavyweights are believed to back her not in the hope of electing her to the president, but of pulling the legs of the presumed frontrunner Kono (and of showing some alternative to Takaichi, another female candidate).
kennyG
Kono or Takaichi if you really want to see a change.
TokyoJoe
50% female representation, you guys on here must be so happy! Gender equality
TokyoJoe
If it's all men you complain, if it's half women, half men you complain. Would anything make you happy?.
CrashTestDummy
Takaichi, because I think leaders need to be more on the conservative side, but nowadays they never get elected. Only liberal leaders seem to have a chance.
kennyG
LDP internal election is becoming much bigger blast than general election following.
Do we need those inept oppositions? So useless.
itsonlyrocknroll
All are the jaded political continuation of the past, stale mediocrity, not a single funded costed policy for change in any sector.
Energy, climate change, any recognizable economic reform, nothing, zero.
No published personal manifesto.
Not one!!
The conveyor belt of inadequacy/delinquency without the political will to effect change.
The electorate have to sooner or later ask the question.
What do these four stand fore.
Taro Kono, frankly lamentable roll out of any recognizable vaccination program is an example.
itsonlyrocknroll
And insisted you throw your hat into the ring. Farmboy,
You will need to lobby at least twenty members/lawmakers.
You are running out of time.
Alfie Noakes
Depressing beyond words.
This "election" and its attendant hype in the LDP-supporting corporate media is yet another in a long line of events designed to distract the populace from the total failure of Japan's political system and it's political class.
socrateos
Ishiba, who is not running this time, is the only one I support.
itsonlyrocknroll
Alfie Noakes, there must be a clear independent curriculum for any comprehensive change.
The system is broken, although nor beyond repair.
The deal breaker, not one of these candidates are at present remotely electable.
They will all follow the past policy Inertia.
Simon Foston
kennyGToday 07:19 pm JST
You need the opposition so you can try to change the topic every time someone points out how useless the LDP are and you don't want to admit it.
This article isn't even about the opposition. No one else has mentioned them at all.
lolozo79
Anybody but Takaichi. She looks like The Joker, and has an agenda to match.
smithinjapan
No matter who wins, they're all losers, and we all lose, too.
TARA TAN KITAOKA
Not anyone of these.
John Noun
Vaccine man Kono without a silly patterned mask? Tut tut
I guess he made up for it by wearing a ridiculous yellow watch. What a moron.
Who to choose? They're all so pathetically dull and useless.
Kokegawa
You're telling me Takaichi is a total hypocrite? Do as I say, not as I do? What a surprise!
didou
The opposition party Minshuto could have a great chance to take power with the failure of the LDP since the covid start. However, no strong leader and it does capitalize on what could make it stronger. Heavily criticizing the LPD on the covid policy and other failed policies and then propose alternatives
kurisupisu
‘The race is on!’
How exciting…..
William Bjornson
The good ol' boys must be seriously terrified by Ms Takaichi that they allowed, shoved, another woman into the competition to try to split the vote. Running scared, are they?
And, for those who see Ms Takaichi as a right wing 'threat' to Japan, Japan has NOT YET sunk into dictatorship where a central 'leader' has complete control over national policy. Abe couldn't get all he wanted and neither will Prime Minister Takaichi. But, we may see some 'push back' on America's desire to place Japan in harm's way vis-á-vis China.
How adorable, as if we Americans actually get to pick the 'candidates' given to us by our Rulers, Money. What real changes in 'policy' have we seen in the last twenty years despite being one of the most disastrous periods in American history, and for the American People, and for the U.S. economy? There is no longer ANY "opposition party" in the U.S. despite words and claims and promises and their behaviors are the same as they dance around claiming it's the fault of the 'other guy' that they can't do what they promised. Naw, America is a very poor example at this time for rational and equitable government.
Simon Foston
William BjornsonToday 03:31 am JST
The flaw in that hypothesis is that Abe's a good ol' boy too, and he backed her. I think it's more likely that Takaichi was encouraged to put herself forward because she's on the same ideological page as Abe and it make it look as if the push for gender equality has got somewhere.
Some supporters of the government in Japan like to make that argument too, even though it's ludicrous because the opposition parties can't delay or stop any legislation while the LDP has majorities in both houses of the Diet and a compliant bureaucracy, or a bureaucracy it complies with.
kennyG
Simon FostonSep. 17 10:24 pm JST
Just like you always need LDP and you can't refrain yourself from referring to it when the topic is about the opposition, they aren't detachable especially when lower house election is 2months ahead. Look it's almost like no one cares upcoming general election already.
Simon Foston
kennyGToday 09:50 am JST
No, nothing like. Unlike smug, self-righteous uyoku bores who think they can be obnoxious arses because they can sort of string a sentence together in English, I am quite realistic about the opposition in Japan, their weaknesses and extremely limited chances of winning power. Are you ever going to criticise anyone in the LDP for anything, ever? I mean, clearly they can't be perfect or else we'd be living in a paradise and no one would never want to complain about them or vote for another party. If you're not going to acknowledge that it makes you look like a right-wing nut-job who's too deluded to face the truth, or someone who's involved with the LDP in some way. Either way, further responses to your comments are pointless.
kennyG
Simon FostonToday 10:54 am JST
Never criticizing any member of LDP doesn't mean I don't feel liking it but I just don't bother with posting those,
which is none of your business and I don't care how you like insulting me and my posts. The truth I am facing is the fact none of those inept opposition parties are trustworthy to let them rule this country.
By the way, I never start my posts by addressing them to you or your posts. It is always you that starts responding to mine which I haven't even asked for at all.
kennyG
Those two were only my posts initially and I have no idea how they touched your nerve
fxgai
Heavens what a clueless notion.
Japan is more likely to grow when people are left to spend their money , rather than central government types.
fxgai
Japan did try this, and they elected loopy Hatoyama to lead.
After 3 PMs in short order the electorate decided LDP was better again.
irreconcilable
You can tell from the picture that the two women and the young guy with the blue tie and new ideas are never going to win. The old guy on the left with the red hued tie and stinky uncontrollable farts will take the cake.