Polls suggest a Koizumi–Takaichi showdown for LDP leadership, but internal powerbrokers may push aside veteran candidates to engineer a youth-versus-youth race between Koizumi and Kobayashi. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/09/18/japan/whiteboarding-the-ldp-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #ldp #sanaetakaichi #shinjirokoizumi #yoshimasahayashi #toshimitsumotegi #takayukikobayashi #shigeruishiba #fumiokishida