Former Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba, digital transformation minister Taro Kono and onetime Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi are expected to battle for support in an upcoming ruling party presidential election, after the three cooperated in the last LDP leadership poll in 2021.
The three, collectively dubbed the "Koishikawa coalition" after kanji characters from each of their last names, will part ways for the Sept. 27 LDP presidential election as they jostle for party member support.
On Saturday, Ishiba announced his intention to run in the upcoming election, which will be held to decide a successor to current LDP leader, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
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