Local LDP chapters set rank-and-file vote / Branches worry about impact of Fukuda's departure

The Yomiuri Shimbun

An increasing number of Liberal Democratic Party local chapters are opting for preliminary ballots by rank-and-file party members to determine who their respective representatives will vote for to replace outgoing Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda as LDP president.

Observers say the moves indicate many officials of the LDP's Tokyo and 46 prefectural chapters are trying to close ranks around a candidate while also trying to show the public that the party is open.

But some believe the move also highlights serious concerns among local LDP chapters over the party's image in the wake of Fukuda's abrupt decision to step down.

The LDP's presidential election will consist of 528 votes to be cast by party legislators and local chapter representatives. The elective body comprises 304 House of Representatives members and 83 House of Councillors members from the party, along with 47 party local chapter officials, each of whom has three ballots to cast in endorsing his or her chapter's chosen candidate.

This means votes to be cast by the LDP chapters will account for 26.7 percent of the total tally in the Sept. 22 election. Each local chapter has a free hand to decide who is responsible for choosing its preferred candidate.

According to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey whose results were collated Tuesday night, the LDP's Tokyo and 31 prefectural chapters said they would carry out primary ballots.

In last year's LDP election, 35 local chapters conducted preliminary ballots. The upcoming election is certain to see more local chapters do so.

The LDP branches opting for a preliminary ballot include the Fukuoka prefectural chapter, with the prefecture including the constituency of LDP Secretary General Taro Aso, who is favored to win the presidential race.

In last year's election, the Fukuoka prefectural branch did not conduct a primary ballot, with senior officials of the chapter instead deciding that all three votes would go to Aso.

Initially, some officials of the Fukuoka branch insisted all three votes go to Aso without a primary ballot in the upcoming ballot, saying local residents were determined to see someone from their prefecture assume power, something that has not happened since Prime Minister Koki Hirota served from March 1936 to January 1937. However, other chapter officials, including Chairman Matsuhiko Shingu, argued it would be unacceptable for local residents to see the LDP chapter endorse Aso without a vote, given the current crisis facing the LDP.

"Is it OK to give the public the impression that we have chosen behind closed doors?" Shingu said.

The view espoused by Shingu prevailed.

The Fukuoka chapter will adopt a winner-takes-all formula in its primary ballot. "If we put our all into this, it'll be nearly certain [all three votes] will go to Mr. Aso," Shingu said.

In the last LDP presidential race, the Shimane prefectural chapter conducted a preliminary ballot involving only chapter officials and prefectural assembly members belonging to the party. But this drew fire from local rank-and-file LDP members angered by their lack of opportunity to vote.

The Shimane branch will carry out a primary ballot involving all rank-and-file members before the Sept. 22 race.

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Campaign to kick off Wed.

The LDP's decision-making body on Wednesday officially approved a plan to launch the party presidential election process next Wednesday, with Sept. 22 set as election day, LDP officials said.

The party's election administration committee will accept candidates Wednesday morning and hold a joint press conference attended by candidates that afternoon.