Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was resigning to “make way for the next generation,” but his departure has cleared a perilous path for any younger leader, like Shinji Koizumi, who might dare to take the helm.
The challenges that felled the 68-year-old veteran Ishiba have not disappeared. A younger leader would still face the same divided parliament, the same powerful and entrenched party factions, and the same angry and distrustful public.
Furthermore, a figure like Koizumi, despite his public appeal, lacks a strong power base within the LDP’s complex factional system. He would be vulnerable to the same kind of internal sabotage that undermined Ishiba, perhaps even more so.
While the idea of a generational shift is appealing, the reality is that the LDP’s structural problems could easily chew up and spit out a fresh-faced leader. The “next generation” may find that now is a dangerous time to step into the spotlight.