Sanae Takaichi speaks before a runoff election at the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) leadership election Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. Hiro Komae/Pool via REUTERS
TOKYO, Sept 18 (Reuters) – Sanae Takaichi, a veteran Japanese lawmaker and fiscal dove, said on Thursday she would run in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party leadership race on October 4 to replace outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Takaichi, who hopes to become Japan’s first female prime minister, is seen as a front-runner in the race along with farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi. She said she would hold a press conference on Friday to explain her policy stance.
Prime Minister Ishiba announced his resignation this month to take responsibility for a series of bruising election losses after being in office for less than a year.
Reports since then that Takaichi could go for the job have roiled financial markets as the former Internal Affairs Minister has been a vocal proponent of government stimulus and monetary easing.
The other candidates are Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi.
Reporting by Mariko Katsumura and Satoshi Sugiyama Editing by Chang-Ran Kim
