Shigeru Ishiba, the recently elected president of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is in the process of forming his new administration. This will involve selecting key members, including party veterans, long-time allies, and individuals instrumental in his election victory. However, one notable absence from his lineup will be his main rival, Sanae Takaichi, a staunch conservative and initial frontrunner who declined a position in the new administration.
The formation of Ishiba's administration has been a meticulous process, with him spending the day after his victory fine-tuning the party's executive positions and ministerial appointments. Hiroshi Moriyama, a veteran politician who chairs the party’s General Council, is expected to be appointed as the new LDP secretary-general, the second-highest position in the party. Yoshimasa Hayashi, who previously served as chief Cabinet secretary, is anticipated to retain his position, a crucial role within the Cabinet. Additionally, former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is set to serve as LDP vice president.
Ishiba's formal appointment as prime minister is scheduled for an extraordinary Diet session on October 1, with the new Cabinet expected to be formed on the same day. He is also preparing to dissolve the Lower House by the end of October for a snap election, with campaigning likely to commence soon and voting expected to take place in late October or early November. The new executive committee of the LDP is poised to be inaugurated on September 30, signaling the beginning of Ishiba's term as the party's leader.