Treatment of Hayashi in Focus for PM Takaichi’s Cabinet Reshuffle

Tokyo, Sept. 6 (Jiji Press)–A major focus in Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s planned reshuffles of her cabinet and the executive lineup of her ruling Liberal Democratic Party is how she will treat internal affairs minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, who is seen certain to run in the LDP’s leadership election in autumn next year, political watchers say. Hayashi has been actively visiting many parts of the country to deepen ties with local party members apparently as preparations for his bid for LDP presidency. Some believe that it would be difficult for Hayashi to run in the LDP race if he remains in the cabinet. Takaichi is expected to carry out the cabinet and LDP leadership team shake-ups on Sept. 16-18 at the earliest. Hayashi delivered a speech at a seminar held by the LDP’s branch in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, in the city of Kagoshima, the capital of the prefecture, on Saturday. Explaining the internal affairs ministry’s regional revitalization efforts, Hayashi said that “I will do my best” to make Japan stronger by reviving rural areas. He is scheduled to visit the northeastern prefecture of Akita on Monday. Since taking office last October, Hayashi has made 25 trips to 24 of the country’s 47 prefectures on official duties. During many of the visits, Hayashi met with local assembly members of the LDP to exchange opinions on various issues, a move widely seen as part of his efforts to win local votes in the 2027 LDP leadership election. In last year’s LDP leadership poll, Hayashi won 72 votes from lawmakers in the first round, more than the number won by Takaichi. But he finished third in the first ballot and could not advance to the runoff because he fell far behind Takaichi in votes from local party members. Hayashi apparently believes that he could have a chance to defeat Takaichi in next year’s party election if he is able to gain wide support from local members by actively visiting rural areas. Hayashi is also vigorously working on building ties with lawmakers. A source related to the now-defunct LDP faction that had been led by former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, for which Hayashi had served in the No. 2 post, said that the internal affairs minister has dined with many former members of the group. He is believed to be learning lessons from the 2025 LDP election, in which some members of the former Kishida faction supported candidates other than Hayashi. In June, he had dinner with former internal affairs minister Ryota Takeda, who leads a group mainly comprising former members of the disbanded LDP faction that had been headed by former LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai. Hayashi’s moves are a threat to Takaichi, who aims to win re-election as LDP president in the 2027 race. Although it is thought that the two are not on the same page over policy issues such as a planned consumption tax cut for food, a source close to Takaichi said that the prime minister “should make efforts to have Hayashi continue serving in an important post.” “Eventually, they would need to talk face to-face,” the source said. If Takaichi offers Hayashi a key position, he would have to make a difficult decision as to whether he should show a stance of supporting her administration by accepting the offer or distance himself from the prime minister by rejecting it. A source close to Hayashi said he should accept such an offer “to boost his presence,” while a senior LDP official stressed that it would be better for Hayashi “to get a free hand to tour around the country.” A former cabinet minister said that Hayashi “would remain determined to run in next year’s LDP leadership election no matter what post he takes.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]