Yasuo Fukuda, the front-runner in the Liberal Democratic Party presidential race, and contender Taro Aso both promised Sunday to solve the country's pension woes and shrink the widening economic disparity between urban and rural areas.
The two candidates to succeed Shinzo Abe as party head and prime minister took similar stands on several issues during televised policy speeches from LDP headquarters in Tokyo.
They addressed their pledges to LDP lawmakers and party members, who will be the voters in the Sept. 23 election made necessary by Abe's shock announcement Wednesday that he will step down.