Dissatisfaction with Shinjiro Koizumi Grows Within the Liberal Democratic Party

Unusual frequency of support

On October 27, the 50th House of Representatives election will be held. Shinjiro Koizumi (43), who has been appointed as the chairman of the election strategy committee, is overseeing the election for the Liberal Democratic Party alongside the party’s secretary-general, Hiroshi Moriyama (79). From selecting candidates to leveraging his remarkable popularity, Koizumi is traveling across the country. Amidst numerous requests for his support, there is one district where he has made an unprecedented three visits: Tokyo’s 15th district (Koto Ward).

This is Tokyo’s 15th ward (Koto-ku).

Tokyo’s 15th district is known as the most chaotic district in Tokyo. Former House of Representatives member Tsukasa Akimoto (53) and former Deputy Minister of Justice, Mitsuru Kakizawa (53), both resigned consecutively due to scandals related to politics and money. In the by-election on April 28 of this year, the Liberal Democratic Party refrained from fielding a candidate, leading to a record nine candidates running. Amidst troubles caused by the political group “Tsubasa no To,” Natsumi Sakai (38) of the Constitutional Democratic Party emerged victorious. Now, just six months after the tumultuous by-election, another election is set to take place, with five candidates ranging in age from their 20s to 40s, and an average age of 35.4 years. This freshness is gaining attention, signaling a potential shift from the past troubles.

Among the candidates, the youngest is 25-year-old Kohei Ozora, the chairman of the NPO “Anata no Ibasho.” He is often referred to as a “Z Generation debater” in the media. He has also been appointed to various committees in Tokyo and the government, and has been seen as someone with potential to eventually make his way to Nagatacho, the heart of Japanese politics.

“If I win, it will mark the birth of a 20-something member of the Diet, someone who is not involved in any politics and money scandals. I want to work hard to change the Liberal Democratic Party and change politics,” Ozora stated.

On the 21st, during his third appearance for support, Shinjiro Koizumi made a passionate appeal, declaring, “We absolutely have to win!” as he was heavily guarded by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. On the 15th, the day of the official announcement, as well as on the 19th at Kameido Station (Koto Ward) and on the 21st at the Oshima district (Koto Ward), Koizumi worked tirelessly to rally support for Ozora.

Ozora himself expressed his determination to this magazine, saying, “By winning as a 25-year-old selected through an open recruitment in a district plagued by politics and money scandals, I want to show that ‘the LDP has changed!'”

This time, he is truly on the board.

Amidst the ongoing political fundraising controversies involving faction parties within the LDP, victory in the tumultuous Tokyo 15th District could be seen as a symbol of the party’s renewal. To this end, the party has selected the 25-year-old handsome candidate, Kohei Ozora, and leaders like Shinjiro Koizumi, as well as former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s wife, Akie Abe, have come to offer their support. A veteran member of the House of Councillors commented, “This is truly a solid, unshakable system in place.”

He continued, “Using his own network, Junichi Ishii, Chairman of the House of Councillors’ National Affairs Committee, secured support from sponsors like Taichiro Motohiro, the founder of ‘Bengoshi.com’ and a former Upper House member, policy brain Akiko Iwata, a former NHK political reporter, and former Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member Kazuki Yamazaki. Furthermore, former ward mayor Yayoi Kimura, who resigned over a violation of the Public Election Law, sought hidden support through his friend, former Minister of State for Child and Family Affairs Seiko Noda. Koizumi was instructed to step in from the very first day, with the message: ‘We have to get him elected, or else people will think the LDP hasn’t changed,’ leading to an unprecedented third round of support. LDP polling (from 16th to 20th) has given Ozora a B evaluation, with Ozora at 28.2% and Sakai at 21.4%, steadily widening the gap.”

Even though Ishii’s directives are at play, Koizumi also gains significant benefits. By repeatedly supporting Ozora in a tough district, whether Ozora wins by a narrow margin or loses in the single-member district but makes a comeback via proportional representation, Koizumi will be seen as the one who helped Ozora win the seat. As the head of the campaign team, Koizumi will solidify his popularity in regional areas while working tirelessly across challenging districts.

However, on the other hand, there are growing suspicions about Shinjiro Koizumi, who is touring the country as a people-puller.

“There are concerns that he may be privatizing the powers of the campaign committee chair in preparation for the next leadership race.”

A former politician who was unable to gain official endorsement pointed this out and continued:

“Following the sudden dissolution of the Diet, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (67) merely suggested to Koizumi and Secretary-General Morioka that they should increase the number of women and young people, leaving the detailed candidate selection up to the two of them. Using the excuse of limited time, Koizumi took this opportunity to reach out to young entrepreneurs and NPO associates he knew, choosing ‘complete novices’ for candidacies. While major media outlets have reported favorably, within the party, particularly among local lawmakers, there is surprise and disbelief at how easily some candidates have received the LDP’s official endorsement for national elections.”

Additionally, due to the issue of lawmakers involved in under-the-table money scandals being ineligible for multiple candidacies, their names were excluded from the proportional representation list, which has led to an increase in the number of people on the proportional list, thus increasing the chances of a comeback via proportional

There has been continuous criticism within the party about Koizumi’s widespread endorsements without consulting local organizations. When former Deputy Minister of Cabinet Office Takao Ochi (60) announced he would not run in Tokyo’s 6th district, Miwa Tsuchiya, a Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member (47), was selected as the candidate. Tsuchiya is said to be close to former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga (75), a mentor to Koizumi.

“Tsuchiya has been highlighting her connection with Suga, claiming to be ‘email friends.’ When the election happens, Suga’s secretaries, as well as city and prefectural assembly members close to him, will be part of her campaign team. Meanwhile, former talent Chisato Morishita (43), who was ranked second on the proportional representation list for the Tohoku region, has been favored over local voices in favor of creating buzz, and politically motivated personnel appointments have been rampant.

A former politician who lost in the last leadership election speculates that Koizumi may be using this opportunity to have as many of his allies as possible win, creating a foundation for his comeback as he prepares for a future leadership race.”

Among the candidates for the LDP, the proportion of newcomers and women has increased. Koizumi’s strategy may have succeeded in presenting a sense of renewal and freshness. However, according to various media polls, the LDP under Ishiba’s leadership is facing a tough outlook. The question remains: Will Koizumi’s ambitions ultimately come to fruition?