Sanae Takaichi Elected LDP President, Beating Koizumi 185 to 156 in Runoff to Become the Party's First Woman Leader
On October 4, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party held its presidential election, and former Minister of State for Economic Security Sanae Takaichi defeated Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi by 185 votes to 156 in a runoff to become the party's 29th president, the first woman to lead the LDP.
The election was triggered by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's announcement on September 7 that he would resign, and five candidates ran. In the first round, Takaichi led with 183 votes, 119 from party members and 64 from Diet lawmakers; Koizumi followed with 164, Yoshimasa Hayashi had 134, Takayuki Kobayashi 59 and Toshimitsu Motegi 49. With no majority, Takaichi and Koizumi advanced to the runoff.
The runoff combined votes from Diet lawmakers with one vote from each of the 47 prefectural chapters. Takaichi won 149 lawmaker votes and 36 prefectural votes for a total of 185; Koizumi won 145 lawmaker votes and 11 prefectural votes for 156. Her strength with party members and local chapters decided the race.
Takaichi, 64, a former minister of state for economic security, was running for the party presidency for the third time, having lost the 2024 runoff to Ishiba. At her first press conference as leader, she said she believed she could bring about a bit of a change in the LDP's image this time, and that she would do her utmost, working diligently and with her whole heart, to show the people a bright, energetic, positive and dedicated party.
Her term runs to September 2027, completing the remainder of Ishiba's original term. The LDP president is normally elected prime minister by the Diet, and she was widely expected to be named Japan's first woman prime minister at the extraordinary Diet session in mid-October.
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Source: Liberal Democratic Party of Japan
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：2025年9月26日，高市早苗在爱知县举行的自民党总裁选所见发表演说会上演讲（资料照片，总裁选举投票日前一周）。依田奏摄，CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Sanae Takaichi speaks at an LDP presidential election policy speech meeting in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on September 26, 2025, a week before the leadership vote (file photo). By 依田奏, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
