TOKYO: A frontrunner in Japan’s leadership race was forced to apologise on Friday after his campaign admitted trying to flood a popular live-streaming platform with flattering comments.

Shinjiro Koizumi has routinely topped polls in the five-way contest to become head of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Japan’s fifth prime minister in as many years.

A victory by the 44-year-old would represent a generational change for the long-dominant LDP as it seeks to win back voters after a string of scandals and poor election results.

However, tabloid magazine Shukan Bunshun reported that an aide pressed other members of his campaign team and supporters to post messages of praise for Koizumi on Niconico, a popular video-sharing site.

“I’ve been told that this email was sent to proliferate support for me, but some of the comments cited as examples went too far and were inappropriate,” Koizumi said.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2025