<Anchor>



The lineup for the election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to decide the successor of Japanese Prime Minister Suga has been confirmed. Administrative Reform Minister Taro Kono seems to be the closest to the next prime minister, but there are many variables.



This is Tokyo correspondent Yoo Seong-jae.



<Reporter> The



Liberal Democratic Party presidential election to elect 'Post Suga' will be held on the 29th.



It is held by the sum of the votes of the party members assigned to the same number as the 383 votes of the member of the National Assembly.



There are four candidates in all.



Minister Kono, who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense and is now in charge of vaccine policy, is currently ranked first in public opinion preference.



[Kono/Japan Administrative Reform Award: I think the support of the people will be the biggest focus for this election for president.]



Kishida, former chairman Jeongjo Kishida, who is following him, is known in Korea as the comfort women agreement in 2015 between Korea and Japan.



Although the party has introduced reforms and corona economic policies, it has a weakness in the support base of its members.



[Kishida / Former LDP Chairman Jeongjo: (I think the key to the election) is to restore the LDP's trust, in other words, to reform the LDP.]



Here's the former Prime Minister Takaichi Takaichi and the welfare policy that former Prime Minister Abe expressed support for. Noda, who appeared as acting secretary, is a female candidate.



If Minister Kono, who is running first, fails to get a majority of the votes in the first round, there is a possibility that he will be defeated by the conservative coalition in the final.



Another variable is the fact that major party factions have established a policy of autonomous voting unlike last year.



The winner of this general election will be nominated as Japan's 100th Prime Minister at the extraordinary session of the National Assembly early next month.



Analysts say that the possibility of a dramatic change in South Korea-Japan relations for the time being is not high as the new prime minister must first cling to Corona response and economic recovery. 



(Video coverage: Cheol-min Han, Hyun-jin Moon, video editing: Min-gyu Jeon)