LDP Executive Sanae Takaichi Loses Support After Prime Minister Abe’s Death

“I could hardly sleep, and I vomited up my food.”

The sudden death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was written by Sanae Takaichi, the LDP’s policy chief.

 

A week after Abe was killed by Tetsuya Yamagami’s bullet, a funeral service was held at Zojoji Temple in Minato Ward on July 12.

After the funeral, Ms. Takaichi posted a series of messages on Twitter.

“The funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is over. Since the incident last Friday, I have hardly slept, vomited up my food, and was in a state of mental and physical weakness that I had not experienced even when I lost my parents. From today, I must work hard, or I will be sorry to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.”

“On Friday, I cancelled my business trip to Kyushu and continued to serve as a liaison with Nara Medical University, where former Prime Minister Abe was taken until the next morning. I was in agony over whether or not I had done the right thing in requesting life-support treatment until Mrs. Akie arrived at the hospital, but I was saved when I heard Mrs. Akie’s speech as a mourner at the funeral. She told me that the former prime minister held her hand for the last time.”

“However, from now on, I will join forces with many fellow Diet members to carry on the legacy of former Prime Minister Abe and repay his kindness by working hard.”

She concluded.

 

While many were impressed by Ms. Takaichi’s tense report, some voiced doubts about the content, which seemed to subtly appeal to her “closeness” to Mr. Abe.

Meanwhile, the post-Abe movement is gaining momentum in Nagatacho. The deceased was not only the chairman of the Abe faction (94 members), the largest faction in the LDP, but also a “symbol” of the party. With the loss of Abe, the Abe faction has the potential to split.

Among the candidates to succeed him are Kōichi Hagiuda, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; Hakubun Shimomura, former Minister of Education; Hiroshige Seko, Secretary-General of the House of Councillors; Yasutoshi Nishimura, former Minister of Economic Revitalization; and Tatsuo Fukuda, Chairman of the General Affairs Committee. Political insiders said.

“All of them have their merits and demerits, and at this point there is no one who stands out from the rest. Even if any of them were to be appointed, it is obvious that there would be confusion. Therefore, it seems that the post of Abe Faction chairman will remain vacant for a while.”

He said, “Mr. Abe’s presence was that big a deal.”

Ms. Takaichi, mentioned above, ran for the LDP presidency last year and did better than expected, but it was all because Mr. Abe had her back. Now that Mr. Abe is gone, she is just a “one-man councilor”

“She is factionless and was not even accepted into the Abe faction. If this continues, she may be buried in the background,” said a political insider.

(A source close to the political world).

In this situation, former Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide is rapidly gaining support. Since the Kishida administration came to power last year after he decided not to run for president, he has been treated with a “cold shoulder,” but now the “Kan Group” is gaining strength, according to a source close to the political world.

“Mr. Kan has been factionless up to now, but he has declared that he will set up his own study group after the Upper House election. As expected, he has put the matter on hold since the death of former Prime Minister Abe, but I am sure he has a different intention in his heart.”

“Already, 20 to 30 factionless Diet members are expected to take action together, including big names such as Shigeru Ishiba, who dissolved his faction,” said a source in Nagatacho.

The major feature of the party is that it is factionless, which means that anyone can join, taking advantage of the fact that it is factionalized. Will the aforementioned Ms. Takaichi be heading there as well?

“If she and the Nikkai faction were to combine, they could number some 70 people and become a major force that could replace the Abe faction. Mr. Kan has been working energetically recently,” said a TV station insider.

The future of Nagatacho is in the dark. There is no doubt that Abe’s sudden death has upset the balance of power, and that a major upheaval is underway.