By Satoshi Sugiyama and Makiko Yamazaki
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's farm minister and the chief government spokesperson joined the race on Tuesday to lead the ruling party, pledging their candidacies in a vote set for early next month to replace outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Ishiba announced his resignation this month to take responsibility for a series of bruising election losses that have made harder the task of choosing a leader for his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Farm Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told a press conference he had informed supporters over the weekend of his intention to run for the role, with Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato set to spearhead his campaign operation.
The son of former Premier Junichiro Koizumi had some success this year in his task of curbing soaring prices of rice.
Kato, who secured the fewest votes in the LDP's previous leadership contest in September last year, told a separate press conference he would back Koizumi this time, in the spirit of "unifying the party".
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, who has served as the Ishiba government's top spokesperson, declared his candidacy on X.
"I aim to lead a new administration that balances stability and growth, leveraging all of my experiences and achievements," Hayashi posted.
Former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi was the first to throw his hat in the ring last week, followed by Former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi.
Also expected to announce her candidacy this week is former Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi, a proponent of government stimulus and monetary easing who could become Japan's first female leader.
Koizumi and Takaichi are seen as the frontrunners in the leadership race, media polls showed. All five also contested last year's leadership election won by Ishiba.
Kobayashi laid out policy planks on Tuesday ranging from temporary income-tax cuts and a long-term overhaul of income tax, as well as stricter controls on immigration and foreign purchases of Japanese companies and land.
Japan is in transition from a deflationary economy, he said, adding, "Once the economy enters a growth phase, I believe the Bank of Japan's monetary policy will naturally be changed."
The choice of Japan's next leader is more complicated than before as the LDP, which has ruled for most of the post-war period, and its coalition partner Komeito, lost their majorities in both houses of parliament during Ishiba's tenure.
(Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama and Makiko Yamazaki; Writing by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
