Research Director Sota Kato told the Sydney Morning Herald that Fumio Kishida’s victory in the September 29 LDP presidential election was partly due to the fact that “his policy plans were really comprehensive.”

As the contest wore on, though, an additional factor in Kishida’s favor was that the “LDP’s popularity jumped” following Yoshihide Suga’s resignation announcement, enabling party lawmakers fearful of losing their seats in the upcoming general election to side with Kishida, rather than the popular and more reform-minded Taro Kono.

“Ex-Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida to Become Japan’s Next Prime Minister,” Sydney Morning Herald
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/ex-foreign-minister-fumio-kishida-to-become-japan-s-next-prime-minister-20210929-p58vmx.html

Profile of Research Director Sota Kato
https://www.tkfd.or.jp/en/experts/detail.php?id=29