Japan's Liberal Democratic Party sets dates for election to replace PM Fumio Kishida

Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday set dates for the race to determine who will become its new president and replace Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as the country's leader.

The elections will begin Sept. 12 when candidates will have a two-week window to make their pitch, according to new rules adopted by the party on Tuesday.

A crowded field is expected to compete for party leadership before the voting and ballot counting on Sept. 27. Because the LDP controls the Lower House, the winner will automatically become Japan's prime minister.

The date for voting was pushed back to later in the month to not interfere with current Kishida's attendance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Kishida announced last week he was stepping down as he faced falling poll numbers and an emerging slush-fund scandal.

Taro Kono, Japan's digital minister who lost to Kishida in the 2021 election, is believed to be days from formally announcing his run again for the party's top position. Takayuki Kobayashi, a former state minister for economic security, is expected to be another leading candidate and has already confirmed that he will run.

Other prominent candidates expected to declare include LDP's Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, former chief cabinet secretary Katsunobu Kato and current chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.

Shinjiro Koizumi, the former environment minister, also has told people close to him that he plans to run.