Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, who had announced his candidacy for the Liberal Democratic Party presidency, said at a press conference on Sept. 3, “We should be careful that the bad side of the LDP’s faction-based politics is not too pronounced.” Mr. Suga stressed that he “doesn’t belong to a faction,” but the support of factions is essential for his winning the presidential election, which is undeniably inconsistent with his belief in a “[politics] free from factionalism.”

“The LDP’s factions have some good points and some bad points,” said Mr. Suga during the press conference on Sept. 2 when he announced his candidacy. “But I am here announcing my candidacy not because a group of factions recommend me.” When asked about friction among the LDP factions that support Mr. Suga during the press conference held on Sept. 3, he said, “This is a press conference for government affairs and I am here in my capacity as chief cabinet secretary, so I want to refrain from commenting on the LDP presidential election.” But he replied, “I don’t belong to any faction.”

Mr. Suga once belonged to a faction, but he now advocates “[a politics] free from factionalism.” Five of the seven LDP factions support Mr. Suga in the presidential election. During the election campaign meeting on Sept. 3, Mr. Suga thanked attendees from each faction, saying, “Even though I don’t belong to a faction, I am able to run for the presidential election because of everyone here.”