Aso To Run In LDP Presidential Race

TOKYO (Nikkei)–Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Taro Aso said early Tuesday that he intends to run for party president, a position that would automatically make him prime minister.

“I would not deny that I am fit for the LDP president post,” Aso told reporters.

With Monday’s surprise resignation announcement by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, the focus has turned to the LDP presidential race and the timing for dissolving the lower house.

The LDP is to draw up a schedule for its election on Tuesday. It has been proposed that the campaign kick off Friday, with voting taking place Sept. 15. The party plans to select a new leader by mid-September to avoid a long-term political vacuum given uncertain economic conditions and other pressing matters that need to be addressed.

Although Aso is seen as the front-runner, some young LDP lawmakers and members of the Mori faction, to which Fukuda belongs, are considering backing former Defense Minister Yuriko Koike, who is a member of that faction. Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Kaoru Yosano and Consumer Affairs Minister Seiko Noda are other names that have come up.

Fukuda’s resignation will affect when the lower house will be dissolved for a snap election. Several officials from New Komeito, the LDP’s junior coalition partner, suggested that the lower house is likely to be dissolved this fall. They said the action could be taken either immediately after a new prime minister forms a cabinet or after the Diet approves the supplementary budget to include the economic stimulus package.

Ruling coalition lawmakers are certain to step up calls for the early dissolution of the lower house, especially those of New Komeito, which does not want the lower house election taking place close to next summer’s Tokyo metropolitan assembly election.

A prompt election is an obvious option for the new prime minister, an LDP official told reporters Monday.

Amazing that the LDP seems unable to tell NK to toss off. I know NK helps them get the supermajority, but without being a parasite of the LDP this party would be nothing, and would quickly wither and die. The LDP should have some guts and call their bluff.

Tobias Harris brings up some very good points about an Aso premiership.

I’m not convinced that Aso will win, let alone run, right now. Whoever steps in will keep the Cabinet the same, aside from Farm Minister Ota, who is a bleeding liability.

Fukuda’s cabinet just went down to a 29% approval rating in the most recent Nikkei poll. Who actually wants to lead this right now? Who can Mori convince to take the helm?

Fukuda is out - who is next?…

I would say that New Komeito’s pressure on Fukuda to step aside soon certainly didn’t lead him to believe he’d get much done. The ruling coalition had pulled support, essentially - decreasing unity would have left Fukuda being forced out before long.