Nobuteru Ishihara on Tuesday became the fifth Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker to throw his hat in the ring for the LDP presidency in the wake of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's abrupt resignation announcement last week.
"In the vanguard to destroy old systems and distorted values, I would like to fight to the end with my comrades," Ishihara said at the news conference to announce his candidacy. "In this presidential election, I, Nobuteru Ishihara, do not have an ounce of self-interest."
Ishihara, 51, a former LDP policy chief, is the oldest son of outspoken Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara. The elder Ishihara sought the LDP presidency in 1989, losing to Toshiki Kaifu.