Digital minister Taro Kono and former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba appear ready to run in the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election in September ¡ª a troubling sign for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Since the latest parliamentary session ended Sunday, internal maneuvering within the LDP ahead of September¡¯s poll has begun in earnest, with a growing number of lawmakers openly voicing their dissatisfaction with Kishida.

Kono and Ishiba ¡ª both widely considered two of the country¡¯s most popular politicians but lacking a base within the LDP ¡ª seem to have already made up their minds.