2018 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election


A leadership election was held on 20 September 2018 to elect the next president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan for a new 3-year term. Incumbent president Shinzō Abe was running for re-election after a rule change in 2017 that allowed him to run for a third term.
Abe's victory effectively hands him three more years as prime minister, giving him the chance of breaking the record for the nation's longest-serving prime ministership held by Taro Katsura, a revered politician who served three times between 1901 and 1913.
If Abe stays in office through 21 November 2019, he will have exceeded the 2,886 days marked by Katsura. He will have served the longest uninterrupted term by 24 August 2020, ahead of Eisaku Satō's 2,797 days.

Background

Scandals

In March 2018, it was revealed that the Finance Ministry had falsified documents presented to the parliament in relation to the Moritomo Gakuen scandal, to remove 14 passages implicating Abe. It has been suggested that the scandal could cost Abe his seat as the Liberal Democratic Party's leader. A Kyodo poll showed the Japanese government popularity's has fallen as low as 30% from 44% in February.

Candidates

Nominated