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US Bandwagoners and Hawks: Who are Potential Japan PM Candidates?

Over a dozen contenders from Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will compete for the premiership later this month after PM Fumio Kishida announced his decision to step down on August 14. 
Sputnik
Who are the favorites in the race?

Shinjiro Koizumi

Former Japanese Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi emerged as the most popular choice to replace Kishida in TV Tokyo's survey last week. The 43-year-old is due to formally announce his candidacy on September 6. He would be the party's youngest candidate. Shinjiro is the son of former Japanese PM Junichiro Koizumi, famous for his pro-US policies and bromance with George W. Bush.
Shinjiro graduated from Columbia University in New York and worked at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is known as a regular visitor to the imperial Yasukuni Shrine, seen by some as a symbol of Japanese militarism. He hailed Joe Biden's win in 2020. It is believed Koizumi will uphold the ruling party's policy of sanctions against Russia, and support for Ukraine, if elected.
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Shigeru Ishiba

Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba is also a popular choice in local media surveys. In July, he topped the list of potential contenders with a 21.1% popular support. On August 24, he formally announced his premiership bid. Ishiba is an ardent supporter of an Asian-Pacific NATO and a boost to Japan's defense forces. He is a proponent of "deterring" Russia and supporting the Kiev regime.

Taro Kono

Seasoned Japanese politician and current digital minister, Taro Kono, announced his bid on August 26. While serving as a foreign minister in the Abe cabinet, he told the Russian press in 2017 about the "deep involvement of his father and grandfather in the development of Japanese-Soviet and Japanese-Russian relations." However, after the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, he fully supported anti-Russia sanctions as a means to "protect Japan."
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