2008 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election

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2008 Liberal Democratic Party leadership election
Flag of Japan.svg
  2007 22 September 2008 2009  
 
Taro Aso 20100714 (cropped).jpg
Kaoru Yosano 2008.jpg
Yuriko Koike 200707 (cropped).jpg
Candidate Tarō Asō Kaoru Yosano Yuriko Koike
LDP  MPs 2176446
Party members13420
Total3516646

 
Isihara Nobuteru 2012.jpg
Gates meets Ishiba 8 November 2007 cropped for Ishiba.jpg
Candidate Nobuteru Ishihara Shigeru Ishiba
LDP  MPs 3621
Party members14
Total3725

President before election

Yasuo Fukuda

Elected President

Tarō Asō

Headquarters of Liberal Democratic Party, at 22 September 2008. Headquarters of Liberal Democratic Party (Japan), 2008.09.22 (1).jpg
Headquarters of Liberal Democratic Party, at 22 September 2008.

A leadership election was held in the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan on 22 September 2008 after the incumbent party leader and Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fukuda announced that he would resign on 1 September 2008, only 11 months after taking office on 25 September 2007 following a leadership election on 23 September 2007. Taro Aso, who had lost to Fukuda in the 2007 leadership election, was widely seen as the frontrunner to replace him, [1] and announced on 2 September 2008 he was ready to take over as party leader. [2] Aso won the leadership election against four opponents, receiving 67% of the vote. [3]

It was reported that Yuriko Koike, a former defence chief who is seen as close to former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, might stand against Aso; in that case, the LDP leadership election would be a decision between the conservative traditionalist Aso and the unorthodox reformist Koike. [4] Economics minister Kaoru Yosano and former transport minister Nobuteru Ishihara, the son of the controversial right-wing nationalist governor of Tokyo Shintarō Ishihara, also indicated they might run, [5] as did former defence minister Shigeru Ishiba, senior vice foreign minister Ichita Yamamoto and former science and economic minister Yasufumi Tanahashi. [6] Campaigning began on 10 September 2008; [7] a total of 528 people are eligible to vote (387 Diet members and 141 prefectural representatives). [8]

To stand in the election, candidates had to gather twenty signatures from electors. Aso formally declared his candidacy on 5 September 2008, [9] and Koike on 8 September 2008. [10] Yosano, Ishiba and Ishihara also filed to run, while Yamamoto and Tanahashi decided not to stand for the leadership. [11] [12] Koizumi announced he would support and vote for Koike. [13]

By election day, Aso had secured the votes of at least 60% of the electors and was assumed to win the election in the first round. [14]

Aso went on to win the election by a landslide 351 votes. Yosano got 66 votes, Koike 46, Ishihara 37 and Ishiba 25. [3] [15] Aso was sworn in as Prime Minister on 24 September 2008. Some speculated that a general election would be called on 3 October for 26 October 2008 following the leadership election, but this failed to materialise. [16] [17] [18] [19]

Candidates

Declared

Candidate(s)Date of birthCurrent positionParty faction Electoral district
Isihara Nobuteru 2012.jpg
Nobuteru Ishihara
17 April 1957
(age 51)
Member of the House of Representatives
(since 1990)
Previous offices held
Kinmirai Seiji Kenkyūkai
(Yamasaki)
Flag of Tokyo Prefecture.svg
Tokyo 8th district
Yuriko Koike 200707 (cropped).jpg
Yuriko Koike
15 July 1952
(age 56)
Member of the House of Representatives
(since 1993)
Previous offices held
Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai
(Machimura)
Flag of Tokyo Prefecture.svg
Tokyo 10th district
Taro Aso 20100714 (cropped).jpg
Tarō Asō
20 September 1940
(age 68)
Member of the House of Representatives
(1979-1983, since 1986)
Previous offices held
Ikōkai
(Asō)
Flag of Fukuoka Prefecture.svg
Fukuoka 8th district
Shigeru Ishiba 2008.jpg
Shigeru Ishiba
4 February 1957
(age 51)
Member of the House of Representatives
(since 1986)
Previous offices held
Heisei Kenkyūkai
(Tsushima)
Flag of Tottori Prefecture.svg
Tottori 1st district
Kaoru Yosano 2008.jpg
Kaoru Yosano
22 August 1938
(age 70)
Member of the House of Representatives
(1976-1979, 1980-2000, since 2003)
Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy
(2005-2006, since 2008)
Minister of State for Regulatory Reform
(since 2008)
Previous offices held
  • Minister State for Financial Services
    (2005-2006)
None
Flag of Tokyo Prefecture.svg
Tokyo 1st district

Results

CandidatesMembersPartyTotal
Taro Aso134217351
Kaoru Yosano26466
Yuriko Koike04646
Nobuteru Ishihara13637
Shigeru Ishiba42125
Grand Total141384525

Past leadership elections

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