The battle for the Liberal Democratic Party presidency continued Friday, but the only public debate to date ended on a subdued tone as the five candidates avoided aiming direct criticism at each other.
What was supposed to be an open debate among the candidates at the Japan National Press Club in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, instead turned out to be a speech-making and question-and-answer session by the five: LDP Secretary General Taro Aso, economy and fiscal policy minister Kaoru Yosano, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, former anchorwoman and ex-Defense Minister Yuriko Koike, and former LDP policy chief Nobuteru Ishihara.
Aso, the front-runner, drew laughs by opening his speech with a rejection of three assumptions he is being labeled with: that he will increase pork-barrel spending, make appalling verbal gaffes, and strain diplomatic ties with China and South Korea.