Sanae Takaichi, the minister in charge of economic security, received the highest number of votes from rank-and-file members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Friday’s presidential election. However, she was ultimately defeated by former LDP Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba in the runoff.
Takaichi’s emphasis on regional areas seems to have played a role in her performance. She garnered 203,802 votes from rank-and-file LDP members across the country during the party election. The competition for these votes was intense due to the dissolution of most party factions and a record number of candidates vying for leadership.
Compared to her previous presidential bid in 2021 when she received 147,764 votes, Takaichi saw a significant increase this year. Expressing gratitude for her total vote count among rank-and-file members, she attributed this growth partly to her nationwide meetings and increased support since last year.
In terms of attracting new LDP members among all Diet members in 2023, Takaichi ranked second. In 2022, she held third place. Her personal youtube channel boasts over 360,000 subscribers and during the campaign period, she actively posted videos to rally support from rank-and-file members. An LDP lawmaker involved in Takaichi’s campaign noted that if online presence determined victory, she would have emerged as the winner.
While traditionally supported by conservatives before this race began, Takaichi also emphasized economic issues and pledged to contribute everything possible towards Japan’s economic growth. It appears that this stance resonated with voters and contributed to her increased support throughout the election process.
