Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Yamanashi Prefecture on Saturday, kicking off his nationwide campaign tour in preparations for his ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership race expected to take place in September.
Kishida met with officials of the LDP's Yamanashi chapter at a hotel in the prefectural capital of Kofu. During the meeting, Kishida vowed to restore confidence in the LDP following the party's political funds scandal, according to participants. He did not discuss the party's presidential election.
In the city of Hokuto, Kishida visited a company working on smart agriculture using cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence. He also visited a semiconductor component manufacturer in Nirasaki.
As part of the tour on Monday, Kishida is scheduled to visit Ishikawa Prefecture, which was hit hard by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake on Jan. 1.
Votes from rank-and-file LDP members are crucial to the party' presidential election. Kishida aims to lift his public approval ratings, which are at record low levels, by highlighting his achievements and new policies during the tour.
Kishida's efforts to improve his political fortunes face challenges, however.
Former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has effectively called for Kishida to step down, while former LDP Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba and digital transformation minister Taro Kono are expected to challenge Kishida in the party race.