2003 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election

Political leadership election in Japan September 2025 September 2025 2003 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election 自民党Logo.svg primary Majority of delegate Caucus 2001 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election 2001 2006 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election 2006 20 September 2003 Leader's seat LDP MPs Party members Total Junichiro Koizumi Junichiro Koizumi 20010426 (cropped).jpg Kanagawa 11th 438C15 Kanagawa 11th 194 (54.34%) 205 (68.33%) 399 (60.73%) Shizuka Kamei Shizuka Kamei 1996.jpg Hiroshima 6th FF7900 Hiroshima 6th 66 (18.49%) 73 (24.33%) 139 (21.16%) Takao Fujii Takao Fujii.jpg Tōkai block 43B3AE Tōkai block 50 (14.01%) 15 (5.00%) 65 (9.89%) Masahiko Kōmura Masahiko Komura 1996.jpg Yamaguchi 1st F2BA42 Yamaguchi 1st 47 (13.17%) 7 (2.33%) 54 (8.22%) President Junichiro Koizumi Junichiro Koizumi The 2003 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election was held on 20 September 2003 to elect the next president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, as the term of incumbent LDP president and Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi, was ending at the end of that month. Voting among party members of the prefectural chapters was held from September 8 to 19. 24 July 2003 LDP presidential election is scheduled for Sept. 20 https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2003/07/24/national/ldp-presidential-election-is-scheduled-for-sept-20/ 9 October 2025 The Japan Times en Koizumi easily won reelection, securing a majority of support.Onishi Norimitsu 21 September 2003 With a Big Victory, Japanese Premier Gains Momentum https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/21/world/with-a-big-victory-japanese-premier-gains-momentum.html 9 October 2025 The New York Times en Successful to Koizumi's win were his support from the prefectural chapter members and members of the Mitsuo Horiuchi and Ryutaro Hashimoto factions. The election was mainly seen as a choice of who would be the party "face" in the upcoming House of Representatives election and House of Councillors election.Takahashi Junko 21 September 2003 Koizumi wins new mandate to lead LDP https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2003/09/21/national/koizumi-wins-new-mandate-to-lead-ldp/ 9 October 2025 The Japan Times en After winning the election, Koizumi appointed a new cabinet, including future Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as Chief Cabinet Secretary.Takahashi Junko 23 September 2003 Key ministers keep jobs as Koizumi plays it safe https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2003/09/23/national/key-ministers-keep-jobs-as-koizumi-plays-it-safe/ 9 October 2025 The Japan Times en On October 10, Koizumi dissolved the House of Representatives and set the general election date for November 9.Takahashi Junko Yoshida Reiji 11 October 2003 Lower House dissolved https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2003/10/11/national/lower-house-dissolved/ 9 October 2025 The Japan Times en Candidates Declared Candidate(s) Date of birth Current position Party faction Electoral districtcenter|x120px Junichiro Koizumi 1942 1 8 y(age 61) Prime Minister(since 2001)President of the Liberal Democratic Party(since 2001)Member of the House of Representatives(since 1972) Previous offices held Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare(1988–1989; 1996–1998) Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications(1992–1993) None(former Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai) center|x30px Kanagawa 11th center|x120px Shizuka Kamei 1936 11 1 y(age 66) Member of the House of Representatives(since 1979) Previous offices held Minister of Construction(1996–1997) Minister of Transport(1994–1995) Shisuikai(Kamei) center|x30px Hiroshima 6th center|x120px Takao Fujii 1943 3 14 y(age 60) Member of the House of Representatives(since 1993) Previous offices held Minister of Transport(1997–1998) Member of the House of Councillors(1981–1993) Heisei Kenkyūkai(Hashimoto) Tōkai block center|x120px Masahiko Kōmura 1942 3 15 y(age 61) Member of the House of Representatives(since 1980) Previous offices held Minister of Justice(2000–2001) Minister for Foreign Affairs(1998–1999) Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy ja 内閣府特命担当大臣（経済財政政策担当）(1994–1995) Banchō Seisaku Kenkyūjo(Kōmura) center|x30px Yamaguchi 1st Declined Tarō Asō, member of the House of Representatives for Fukuoka 8th district; former Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy ja 内閣府特命担当大臣（経済財政政策担当） (1996–1997; 2001). Grandson of former Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida and brother of Princess Tomohito of Mikasa.Takahashi Junko 29 July 2003 Koizumi appears set to stay on by default https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2003/07/29/national/koizumi-appears-set-to-stay-on-by-default/ 9 October 2025 The Japan Times en Takeo Hiranuma, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry; member of the House of Representatives for Okayama 3rd district; former Minister of International Trade and Industry (2001), Minister of Transport (1995–1996). Akihiko Kumashiro, member of the House of Representatives for Okayama 2nd district.Yoshida Reiji 2 September 2003 Fujii's hat drifting closer toward the ring https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2003/09/02/national/fujiis-hat-drifting-closer-toward-the-ring/ 9 October 2025 The Japan Times en Takashi Sasagawa, member of the House of Representatives for Gunma 2nd district (endorsed Takao Fujii). Supporters Recommenders Party regulations require candidates to have the written support at least 20 Diet members, known as recommenders, to run. Junichiro Koizumi平成１５年 自由民主党 総裁選挙 Heisei 15 Liberal Democratic Party President Election Liberal Democratic Party of Japan https://web.archive.org/web/20100123185742/http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/profile/suisen_koizumi.html 23 January 2010 http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/profile/suisen_koizumi.html ja 9 October 2025 ;Leader of recommenders Yoshirō Mori (Member of the House of Representatives for Ishikawa 2nd district) (Seiwakai) Campaign Manager Shinzo Abe (Member of the House of Representatives for Yamaguchi 4th district) (Seiwakai) Recommenders Mikio Aoki (Member of the House of Councillors from Shimane) (Heiseiken) Masatoshi Abe (Member of the House of Councillors from Yamagata) (Yūrinkai ja 有隣会) Akira Amari (Member of the House of Representatives for Kanagawa 13th district) (Kinmirai Seiji Kenkyūkai) Yozo Ishikawa (Member of the House of Representatives for Tokyo 25th district) (Daiyukai) Shigeru Ishiba (Member of the House of Representatives for Tottori 1st district) (Heiseiken) Nobuteru Ishihara (Member of the House of Representatives for Tokyo 8th district) (Kinmirai Seiji Kenkyūkai) Shigeo Uetake ja 植竹繁雄 (Member of the House of Representatives for Northern Kanto PR block) (no faction) Kōsei Ueno ja 上野公成 (Member of the House of Councillors from Gunma) (Seiwakai) Sadatoshi Ozato (Member of the House of Representatives for Kagoshima 4th district) (Yūrinkai) Toranosuke Katayama (Member of the House of Councillors from Okayama) (Heiseiken) Kimitaka Kuze ja 久世公堯 (Member of the House of Councillors from National PR block) (Yūrinkai) Shozaburo Jimi (Member of the House of Representatives for Fukuoka 10th district) (Kinmirai Seiji Kenkyūkai) Katsutsugu Sekiya ja 関谷勝嗣 (Member of the House of Councillors from Ehime) (Kinmirai Seiji Kenkyūkai) Kōki Chūma (Member of the House of Representatives for Osaka 1st district) (Daiyukai) Nobuyuki Hanashi ja 葉梨信行 (Member of the House of Representatives for Ibaraki 3rd district) (Shin Zaisei Kenkyūkai ja 新財政研究会) Hajime Morita ja 森田一 (Member of the House of Representatives for Shikoku PR block) (Yūrinkai) Eita Yashiro ja 八代英太 (Member of the House of Representatives for Tokyo 12th district) (Heiseiken) Masaaki Yamazaki (Member of the House of Councillors from Fukui) (Seiwakai) Shizuka Kamei平成１５年 自由民主党 総裁選挙 Heisei 15 Liberal Democratic Party President Election Liberal Democratic Party of Japan https://web.archive.org/web/20070824190053/http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/profile/suisen_kamei.html 24 August 2007 http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/profile/suisen_kamei.html ja 9 October 2025 ;Leader of recommenders Yoshio Yatsu (Member of the House of Representatives for Gunma 3rd district) (Shisuikai) Campaign Manager Takami Eto (Member of the House of Representatives for Miyazaki 2nd district) (Shisuikai) Recommenders Hiroyuki Arai (Member of the House of Representatives for Tohoku PR block) (Shisuikai) Hirohisa Kurihara ja 栗原博久 (Member of the House of Representatives for Niigata 4th district) (Shisuikai) Yoshihide Sakaue ja 阪上善秀 (Member of the House of Representatives for Kinki PR block) (Shisuikai) Yōji Nagaoka (Member of the House of Representatives for Ibaraki 7th district) (Shisuikai) Shōnosuke Hayashi ja 林省之介 (Member of the House of Representatives for Kinki PR block) (Shisuikai) Yoshitake Masuhara (Member of the House of Representatives for Hiroshima 3rd district) (Shisuikai) Kenta Matsunami (Member of the House of Representatives for Osaka 10th district) (Shisuikai) Isao Matsumiya (Member of the House of Representatives for Fukui 1st district) (Shisuikai) Yukihiro Yoshida ja 吉田幸弘 (Member of the House of Representatives for Tōkai PR block) (Shisuikai) Hirohide Uozumi ja 魚住汎英 (Member of the House of Councillors from Kumamoto) (Shisuikai) Takeaki Kashimura ja 柏村武昭 (Member of the House of Councillors from Hiroshima) (Shisuikai) Ikuo Kamei (Member of the House of Councillors from Hiroshima) (Shisuikai) Hiroko Gotō ja 後藤博子 (Member of the House of Councillors from Ōita) (Shisuikai) Kazuyasu Shiina (Member of the House of Councillors from Chiba) (Shisuikai) Yoshio Nakagawa (Member of the House of Councillors from Hokkaido) (Shisuikai) Toshiya Nakamichi ja 仲道俊哉 (Member of the House of Councillors from Ōita) (Shisuikai) Eisuke Hinode (Member of the House of Councillors from National PR block) (Shisuikai) Keishirō Fukushima ja 福島啓史郎 (Member of the House of Councillors from National PR block) (Shisuikai) Takao Fujii平成１５年 自由民主党 総裁選挙 Heisei 15 Liberal Democratic Party President Election Liberal Democratic Party of Japan https://web.archive.org/web/20050309102136/http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/profile/suisen_fujii.html 9 March 2005 http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/profile/suisen_fujii.html ja 9 October 2025 ;Leader of recommenders Takashi Sasagawa (Member of the House of Representatives for Gunma 2nd district) (Heiseiken) Campaign Manager Yūji Tsushima (Member of the House of Representatives for Aomori 1st district) (Heiseiken) Recommenders Masahiro Imamura (Member of the House of Representatives for Saga 2nd district) (Heiseiken) Hirofumi Iwakura ja 岩倉博文 (Member of the House of Representatives for Hokkaido PR block) (Heiseiken) Hiroshi Ōki ja 大木浩 (Member of the House of Representatives for Aichi 8th district) (Heiseiken) Nobuko Okashita (Member of the House of Representatives for Osaka 17th district) (Heiseiken) Shigehiko Okuyama ja 奥山茂彦 (Member of the House of Representatives for Kyoto 3rd district) (Heiseiken) Takahide Kimura (Member of the House of Representatives for Tōkai PR block) (Heiseiken) Masatoshi Kurata (Member of the House of Representatives for Tōkai PR block) (Heiseiken) Ryuji Koizumi (Member of the House of Representatives for Saitama 11th district) (Heiseiken) Jūrō Saitō ja 斎藤十朗 (Member of the House of Councillors from Mie) (Heiseiken) Osamu Takatori ja 高鳥修 (Member of the House of Representatives for Hokuriku-Shin'etsu PR block) (Heiseiken) Kōki Hagino ja 萩野浩基 (Member of the House of Representatives for Tohoku PR block) (Heiseiken) Jin Murai (Member of the House of Representatives for Nagano 2nd district) (Heiseiken) Masahiro Morioka (Member of the House of Representatives for Nara 1st district) (Heiseiken) Taimei Yamaguchi (Member of the House of Representatives for Saitama 10th district) (Heiseiken) Takamori Yoshikawa (Member of the House of Representatives for Hokkaido 2nd district) (Heiseiken) Hiromichi Watanabe (Member of the House of Representatives for Southern Kanto PR block) (Heiseiken) Toshitsugu Saito (Member of the House of Representatives for Shizuoka 5th district) (Heiseiken) Iwao Matsuda (Member of the House of Councillors from Gifu) (Heiseiken) Masahiko Kōmura平成１５年 自由民主党 総裁選挙 Heisei 15 Liberal Democratic Party President Election Liberal Democratic Party of Japan https://web.archive.org/web/20070825233145/http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/profile/suisen_koumura.html 25 August 2007 http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/profile/suisen_koumura.html ja 9 October 2025 ;Leader of recommenders Hideo Usui (Member of the House of Representatives for Chiba 1st district) (Banchōken) Campaign Manager Tadamori Ōshima (Member of the House of Representatives for Aomori 3rd district) (Banchōken) Recommenders Norihiko Akagi (Member of the House of Representatives for Ibaraki 1st district) (Banchōken) Shintaro Ito (Member of the House of Representatives for Miyagi 4th district) (Banchōken) Tomokatsu Kitagawa (Member of the House of Representatives for Kinki PR block) (Banchōken) Akira Shichijo (Member of the House of Representatives for Shikoku PR block) (Banchōken) Tsuneo Suzuki (Member of the House of Representatives for Kanagawa 7th district) (Daiyukai) Keisuke Sunada ja 砂田圭佑 (Member of the House of Representatives for Kinki PR block) (Banchōken) Yōichi Tani ja 谷洋一 (Member of the House of Representatives for Hyōgo 5th district) (Shisuikai) Seiko Noda (Member of the House of Representatives for Gifu 1st district) (Banchōken) Yasukazu Hamada (Member of the House of Representatives for Southern Kanto PR block) (no faction) Yoshiro Hayashi (Member of the House of Representatives for Chūgoku PR block) (Shin Zaisei Kenkyūkai ja 新財政研究会) Katsuei Hirasawa (Member of the House of Representatives for Tokyo 17th district) (Kinmirai Seiji Kenkyūkai) Seiichiro Murakami (Member of the House of Representatives for Ehime 2nd district) (Banchōken) Eisuke Mori (Member of the House of Representatives for Chiba 11th district) (Daiyukai) Shunichi Yamaguchi (Member of the House of Representatives for Tokushima 2nd district) (no faction) Yūji Yamamoto (Member of the House of Representatives for Kōchi 3rd district) (Banchōken) Haruko Arimura (Member of the House of Councillors from National PR block) (Banchōken) Akiko Santō (Member of the House of Councillors from National PR block) (Banchōken) Yoshimasa Hayashi (Member of the House of Councillors from Yamaguchi) (Shin Zaisei Kenkyūkai) Number of supporters by factions CandidatesJunichiro KoizumiShizuka KameiTakao FujiiMasahiko KōmuraBanchō Seisaku Kenkyūjo00012Heisei Kenkyūkai40200Daiyukai2002Kinmirai Seiji Kenkyūkai4001Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai4000Shin Zaisei Kenkyūkai ja 新財政研究会1002Shisuikai02001Yūrinkai ja 有隣会4000No faction1002 Debates Official Dateblack #99ff99  P  Participant  black #49FFCC  I  Invited black #ff9999  N  Not invited black #FFFFDD  A  Absent #f0e68c E EliminatedHostLocationSourceKoizumiKameiFujiiKōmura11 SeptemberPPPPJapan National Press ClubJapan Press Centerhttps://web.archive.org/web/20101130071824/http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/enzetsu/index.html http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/enzetsu/index.html 2010-11-30 2025-10-10 ja 演説会・記者会見 Liberal Democratic Party of Japan Opinion polls Polling Fieldwork datePolling firmSample sizeJunichiroKoizumiShizukaKameiTakaoFujiiMasahikoKōmuraNOT None of these/UD Undecided and Don't know/NA no answer9 10 Sept 2003Asahihttp://www.asahi.com/special/seikyoku/TKY200309100325.html ja:総裁選、自民支持層の８割「小泉氏よい」　本社世論調査 ja Asahi Shimbun 2003-09-11 2025-10-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20170609224550/http://www.asahi.com/special/seikyoku/TKY200309100325.html 2017-06-09Unknown 81% 6% 2% 4% 7% Results + Full resultsja:平成１５年 自由民主党 総裁選挙 Heisei 15 Liberal Democratic Party President Election http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/index.html Liberal Democratic Party of Japan 2025-10-10 ja 2010-05-01 https://web.archive.org/web/20100501180704/http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/index.htmlja:平成１５年総裁選挙 党員投票結果 http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/kenren/kekka.pdf Liberal Democratic Party of Japan 2025-10-10 ja 2005-10-28 https://web.archive.org/web/20051028164739/http://www.jimin.jp/jimin/jimin/sousai03/kenren/kekka.pdf CandidateDiet membersParty membersTotal pointsVotes%Popular votes%Allocated votes%Total votes% Junichiro Koizumi red 当19454.34%555,77157.29%20568.33%399 60.73 00b13860.73% Shizuka Kamei6618.49%240,79224.82%7324.33%139 21.16 00b13821.16% Takao Fujii5014.01%104,15810.74%155.00%65 9.89 00b1389.89% Masahiko Kōmura4713.17%69,3187.15%72.33%54 8.22 00b1388.22% Total357100.00%970,039100.00%300100.00%657100.00%Valid votes357100.00%970,03999.76%300100.00%657100.00%Invalid and blank votes00.00%2,3800.24%00.00%00.00%Turnout357100.00%972,41969.33%300100.00%657100.00%Registered voters357100.00%1,402,621100.00%300100.00%657100.00% Results of Party Members' Votes by Prefecture + Results of Party Members' Votes by PrefecturePrefectureJunichiro KoizumiShizuka KameiTakao FujiiMasahiko KōmuraVotes%Votes%Votes%Votes%Aichi23,62761.98%67,17618.83%24,97313.05%12,3426.14%0Akita6,28553.36%32,70222.94%11,92516.34%18667.35%0Aomori4,15044.66%31,81019.48%11,01610.93%02,31624.92%1Chiba10,46856.97%45,04627.46%28294.51%02,03011.05%0Ehime19,69555.81%610,27929.13%32,1566.11%03,1588.95%0Fukui8,83759.15%34,50730.17%29926.64%06044.04%0Fukuoka11,15159.84%54,01521.55%11,8569.96%01,6138.66%0Fukushima10,17363.69%44,12625.83%27424.65%09315.83%0Gifu7,29419.00%11,1523.00%029,27276.27%76631.73%0Gunma15,07460.22%56,07624.27%22,91911.66%09623.84%0Hiroshima11,75029.51%325,86564.95%65991.50%01,6074.04%0Hokkaido18,96050.40%511,74531.22%34,66412.40%12,2515.98%0Hyōgo15,24358.84%67,04727.20%21,5325.91%02,0848.04%0Ibaraki20,27753.57%613,21734.92%41,7524.63%02,6056.88%0Ishikawa19,61674.50%64,05015.38%11,2314.68%01,4325.44%0Iwate5,81061.22%42,34224.68%15956.27%07437.83%0Kagawa12,16868.47%54,11123.13%14722.66%01,0195.73%0Kagoshima16,58469.61%64,61419.37%11,5906.67%01,0364.35%0Kanagawa29,62177.78%84,69012.31%11,8364.82%01,9375.09%0Kōchi5,47555.54%32,10521.36%13863.92%01,89119.18%1Kumamoto8,15052.54%45,16133.27%21,4579.39%07444.80%0Kyoto8,64153.45%32,34514.50%14,33326.80%28485.25%0Mie8,63064.51%42,27016.97%11,72912.93%07485.59%0Miyagi8,44863.72%42,80721.17%17175.41%01,2879.71%0Miyazaki4,04339.39%25,33852.01%35175.04%03663.57%0Nagano10,75159.68%43,22217.89%12,89316.06%11,1496.38%0Nagasaki11,00857.94%55,50828.99%21,2086.36%01,2746.71%0Nara6,22763.63%41,81518.55%11,17412.00%05715.83%0Niigata10,49937.41%315,98456.96%44961.77%01,0843.86%0Ōita7,60260.90%43,59228.78%15284.23%07606.09%0Okayama7,85738.88%37,05034.89%24,31021.33%19894.89%0Okinawa1,22555.06%354324.40%137216.72%0853.82%0Osaka18,37565.53%65,92621.13%22,1837.78%01,5585.56%0Saga6,84656.29%42,82823.25%11,63813.47%08496.98%0Saitama16,39561.63%56,77925.48%21,8096.80%01,6206.09%0Shiga10,40665.71%52,92418.46%11,5179.58%09906.25%0Shimane12,35263.65%54,01320.68%12,17811.22%08624.44%0Shizuoka21,77169.63%75,41517.32%12,2077.06%01,8756.00%0Tochigi9,78660.24%53,46221.31%11,5479.52%01,4518.93%0Tokushima3,54546.98%21,92425.50%14696.22%01,60821.31%1Tokyo36,96772.41%88,01915.71%11,8443.61%04,2238.27%1Tottori4,20246.85%22,54028.32%11,67418.66%15546.18%0Toyama22,27565.32%66,63019.44%23,2689.58%01,9265.65%0Wakayama5,19674.46%41,02714.72%04616.61%02944.21%0Yamagata7,43668.64%42,47722.87%13343.08%05865.41%0Yamaguchi7,56741.21%32,33912.74%01680.91%08,29045.14%3Yamanashi7,31361.36%42,17918.28%11,79015.02%06375.34%0Total555,77157.29%205240,79224.82%73104,15810.74%1569,3187.15%7 References External links Official election website (in Japanese) Masahiko Kōmura official website (in Japanese) Category:2003 political party leadership elections Category:2003 elections in Japan Category:September 2003 in Japan 2003