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President of LDP to Appoint Shinjiro Koizumi as Defense Minister

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Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takaichi has outlined plans to name current Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi as Defense Minister should she become prime minister following the next special Diet session. The 44-year-old Koizumi has won six consecutive elections to the House of Representatives from Kanagawa's 11th district.

Reports indicate that Takaichi also plans to designate Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, age 64, to lead the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry. Hayashi previously won five elections to the House of Councillors and is currently serving his second term representing Yamaguchi's 3rd district in the lower chamber.

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Former Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi, 70, who has served 11 terms representing Tochigi's 5th district in the lower house, is slated for the foreign minister position.

These three individuals all competed in the party's presidential contest held on October 4th, where Koizumi secured second place, Hayashi came in third, and Motegi finished fifth.

Takayuki Kobayashi, who previously served as economic security minister and came fourth in the leadership contest, has received the appointment as chairman of the LDP's Policy Research Council.

Through positioning all leadership race participants in significant roles, Takaichi seems to be pursuing a strategy aimed at fostering party cohesion.

 

The upcoming special Diet session will select a new prime minister, but the LDP possesses only 196 seats in the lower chamber, which is insufficient for a majority of 233 seats. Should opposition parties, including Komeito that has terminated its alliance with the LDP, unite effectively, it becomes possible for an opposition party member to be chosen as prime minister.

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On October 4, Sanae Takaichi secured the position of the 29th president of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, becoming the first woman to achieve this milestone. This represented a historic achievement for a political organization traditionally known for its conservative views regarding gender equality and women's societal positions. The moment also held special significance for Japan, a nation that has struggled with gender equality issues and maintains notably low representation of women in politics.

Japan has consistently placed near the bottom rankings of the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index. This index evaluates disparities between men and women across four key areas: political participation, economic empowerment, educational achievement, and health and survival outcomes. Japan's poor performance in the initial two categories—particularly in political participation—has resulted in its 118th place ranking out of 148 countries in both 2024 and 2025.

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Beyond shattering barriers for women, Takaichi stands out for her humble, non-political, and financially modest origins. This sets her apart from the majority of her LDP colleagues and from most female political figures across Asia. Takaichi's background is rooted in a middle-class household without political ties. Her father worked as a corporate employee while her mother served as a police officer. Following the customs of their generation, Takaichi's parents planned to send their son to university while directing their daughter toward a two-year college program. When Takaichi expressed interest in pursuing university education, her parents informed her she would need to finance it independently. Although she gained admission to Waseda University, financial constraints led her to choose Kobe University instead. She maintained multiple part-time positions to cover her living expenses and educational costs. Such determination was extraordinary for the time and reflects her exceptional motivation and aspirations.

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