Ishiba Vows All-Out Election Fight at LDP Convention

Tokyo, March 9 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba vowed to go all out for this summer's House of Councillors election, at an annual convention of his Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo on Sunday.

"I will devote myself and make my utmost efforts to win (the upcoming Upper House election) without fail," Ishiba, also president of the LDP, said in a speech, while asking fellow party members to "unite and act for the nation, the people and the next era."

Ishiba did not mention how many seats the LDP will aim to win in the election.

The triennial Upper House election comes after the LDP-Komeito ruling coalition lost its majority in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, in last year's general election.

Following the LDP's high-profile political funds scandal, Ishiba said: "We should be humble before sovereign voices. We will restore the attitude that we had when we were out of power."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]