Just a couple of months ago, powerful Liberal Democratic Party faction leaders, including party Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, were being talked about as potential successors to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
But with the political funds scandal resulting in the dissolution of four of the LDP¡¯s six factions, they have found themselves losing momentum and power as their members start to bolt.
Motegi, who heads the LDP¡¯s third-largest faction, appeared to be on the rise last spring when he paid a visit to Washington ¡ª a move seen as a possible challenge to Kishida¡¯s leadership.
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