Officially Announces Candidacy for LDP Leadership Election in October
At Press Conference, States "South Korea Is a Crucial Neighbor for Cooperation"
Shinjiro Koizumi, the Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries-nicknamed "Fun Cool Sexy"-has officially announced his candidacy for the upcoming Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election scheduled for October 4. At age 44, if Koizumi is elected as LDP leader and subsequently becomes prime minister, he is expected to become the youngest prime minister in Japan's history.
Koizumi earned the nickname "Fun Cool Sexy" after a comment he made six years ago at an event in the United States, where he said that climate change should be addressed in a "fun, cool, and sexy" way. This remark became a widely shared meme online.
According to local media such as NHK, Koizumi held a press conference in Tokyo on September 20, where he declared his candidacy, stating, "I will rebuild the LDP into a party that delivers the peace of mind and safety demanded by the people."
At the press conference, Koizumi criticized the LDP for ignoring the voices of citizens suffering from rising prices, pledging, "I will immediately address the issue of inflation by formulating a supplementary budget."
His campaign pledges include raising the average wage by 1 million yen (approximately 945,000 won) by 2030 and expanding the basic income tax deduction. He also emphasized plans to increase domestic investment to 135 trillion yen, revitalize regional economies, and expand exports of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products.
In terms of foreign and security policy, Koizumi stressed the importance of strengthening trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan. He stated, "South Korea is a crucial neighbor with whom we must cooperate in addressing various challenges facing the international community," and promised to advance Korea-Japan relations through shuttle diplomacy between leaders and building mutual trust. He also outlined plans to use the U.S.-Japan alliance as a foundation for deeper cooperation with other liberal democracies such as South Korea, Australia, and India to promote regional stability.
However, regarding visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, Koizumi said only that he would "make an appropriate decision." Since being elected to the National Diet, he has visited the shrine every year, including a visit as a cabinet minister on August 15 this year. His father, former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, also visited the shrine annually during his tenure.
Currently, ahead of the LDP leadership election, former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi and Koizumi are emerging as the two leading candidates, with a significant gap between them and other contenders. Polls show Koizumi leading with 23.8% support, ahead of Takaichi, who has 21.0%.
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