1. The race to lead Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is taking place on October 3rd, with voting among party lawmakers scheduled for Saturday. Five candidates are vying to replace Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, who resigned in September due to disappointing election results.
2. Key issues during the campaign include rising prices and addressing them through proposals such as raising wages compared to inflation, reducing income taxes, and implementing policies similar to those of the opposition (e.g., cash handouts, tax breaks, abolition of provisional gasoline tax).
3. The winner of the LDP leadership race will face the challenge of rebuilding the party's public image and showing meaningful change, as it has struggled to regain voter support. A Diet vote will decide who becomes the new Prime Minister once the LDP chooses its leader, but the ruling coalition lacks a majority in both the Lower and Upper houses. Meanwhile, opposition parties have shown mixed responses to the idea of working together to pick a different Prime Minister.