TOKYO (Kyodo) — Japan’s top government flank Yoshimasa Hayashi on Tuesday announced he will run in the ruling party’s leadership election in a bid to succeed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Hayashi, 63, who has served as Kishida’s right-hand man since 2023, is the second Cabinet member to declare his candidacy for president of the Liberal Democratic Party in the Sept. 27 election.