Japan's bruised ruling party to pick yet another leader

TOKYO:

Japan's ruling party elects its fifth leader in as many years Saturday, charged with reviving its flagging fortunes as a new anti-immigration grouping snaps at its heels.

The frontrunners for the Liberal Democratic Party's top seat are Sanae Takaichi, a China hawk who would be Japan's first woman premier, and the youthful but potentially out-of-his-depth Shinjiro Koizumi.

But LDP members and MPs might choose instead the safer — if unexciting — Yoshimasa Hayashi, dubbed "Mr. 119" after Japan's emergency phone number.

The winner will almost certainly be approved by parliament as prime minister, a step that local media say could come the week of October 13.

He or she will face a host of complex issues including an ageing population, geopolitical upheaval, a faltering economy and growing unease about immigration.

First, however, they will have to ensure that the LDP, which has governed almost non-stop since 1955, can rally voters again.

"The LDP must regain trust, and an overhaul is needed for us to start afresh," said Koizumi, calling the state of the party a "crisis".

Immigrant 'invasion'

Outgoing premier Shigeru Ishiba took the reins last year but his LDP-led coalition lost its majority in both houses of parliament and he threw in the towel.

One party on the up is Sanseito, which echoes other populist movements in calling immigration a "silent invasion" and blames newcomers for a host of ills.

Takaichi and Koizumi have sought to appeal to voters attracted by Sanseito's messaging about foreigners, whether immigrants or the throngs of tourists.

Japan should "reconsider policies that allow in people with completely different cultures and backgrounds", said Takaichi.