Photo/Illutration Shinjiro Koizumi officially announces his candidacy for president of Liberal Democratic Party on Sept. 6 in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward. (Jin Nishioka)

Former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi vowed to clean up politics, initiate discussions on constitutional reform and allow married couples to use dual surnames if he is elected president of the ruling party.

Koizumi, 43, is running for the top post of the Liberal Democratic Party for the first time, and he appears to have garnered internal support for his bid.

“While many people have low expectations for politics, the only way for the LDP to truly change is to elect a leader who can overwhelmingly accelerate reform, not a leader who just advocates reform,” Koizumi said at a Tokyo news conference on Sept. 6 held to officially announce his candidacy and his policies.

He expressed his intention to dissolve the Lower House as soon as possible to advance party reform and seek a vote of confidence from the public.

The election, scheduled for Sept. 27, is being held as the LDP continues to be dogged by a political funding scandal. Criticism of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s response to the scandal is a key reason why he is not seeking re-election.

“The opaque use of money, which has been specially allowed only in politics, will stop now,” Koizumi said.

As for the LDP lawmakers who failed to properly report their political funds, Koizumi said a new party leadership under him “will make a strict decision on whether or not to officially endorse them (in elections).”

He said the decision will be based on the party’s accountability, efforts to prevent a recurrence, and the opinions of local organizations and voters.

Koizumi also brought up the issue of amending the postwar Constitution, saying revision is “a promise made since the founding of the party.”

He said the Constitution should specifically acknowledge the existence of the Self-Defense Forces and the need for emergency responses because they are “demands of the times.”

He expressed his intention to hold a referendum on constitutional revision as soon as possible.

Koizumi also addressed another long-standing issue: changing the current one-name system to allow married couples to choose separate surnames.

“If I become prime minister, I will submit a bill to the Diet to allow it, settling a debate that has been going on for more than 30 years,” he said.

Koizumi is backed by former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is also elected from Kanagawa Prefecture, and many young members of the party.

He has ranked high in opinion polls conducted by various media outlets on who is the most suitable person to become the next LDP president.

The second son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Shinjiro was first elected to the Lower House at the age of 28 in 2009, when the LDP was an opposition party.

The environment minister post is the only Cabinet position he has held so far.

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