Sanae Takaichi, the minister in charge of economic security, received the most votes from rank-and-file members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the recent presidential election. However, she was defeated by former LDP Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba in the runoff.

Takaichi's strong performance among rank-and-file members is likely due to her efforts to focus on regional areas. In the election, she received 203,802 votes from LDP members nationwide, a significant increase from the 147,764 votes she received in the 2021 presidential election.

This increase in votes can be attributed to Takaichi's nationwide meetings and her efforts to gather more support since 2021. She was also the second-highest LDP Diet member in terms of bringing in new members in 2023 and the third-highest in 2022.

Takaichi's personal YouTube channel, which has over 360,000 subscribers, also played a role in her campaign. She frequently posted videos to gather support from rank-and-file members.

While Takaichi was previously primarily supported by conservatives, she also focused on economic issues in this race, stating her plans to boost Japan's economy. This broader focus likely contributed to her increased support.