Tokyo - Yuriko Koike is making history as the first woman to run as a candidate for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) presidential race scheduled on September 22.

"I'm going to destroy Kasumigaseki and seek a new system for the 21st century," Koike said at the first debate of the five candidates in Tokyo Friday. Kasumigaseki is a district in Tokyo where Japan's parliament and ministries are located.

The 56-year-old candidate appeared ambitious and confident as she had just received the endorsement of her mentor and former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi earlier Friday.

"The fact colleagues support my candidacy in the presidential race is proof that LDP is willing to change," Koike said.

Her slogan resonates Koizumi's declaration to "destroy LDP" when the charismatic leader was running for the party presidency.

Koike has shattered a glass ceiling in the nation's parliament where women hold only 7.3 per cent of 480 seats.

In such a political culture, Koike describes herself as "different in nature" from four of her male contenders who come from politicians' families or have long served in the LDP.

She attended college in Egypt, worked as an Arabic interpreter and is considered an expert on the Middle East. The former television anchorwoman also speaks English.

Koike first came into the political spotlight in her role as one of Koizumi's "assassins" in the 2005 general election and successfully ran in a Tokyo constituency against an ousted LDP member opposed to the prime minister's postal reform.

She served as environmental minister under Koizumi, special adviser on national security affairs under former prime minister Shinzo Abe and then as Japan's first female defence minister in the cabinet of outgoing premier Yasuo Fukuda.

Once dubbed as "Japan's [Condoleezza] Rice," Koike is now compared to Sarah Palin, Republican candidate for the US vice presidency.

Some criticize Koike as fickle or call her a migrating bird because she has relocated through four political parties before she settled in the LDP in 2002.

Others are say that the first female candidate makes the election campaign more colourful.

The candidate herself says she has more than that to offer and has said Japan should form closer ties with the US, Australia and India, and has expressed caution about China's growing military might.

She has also said she would push for structural reforms initiated by her mentor.

If Koike prevails in the race, she would become the nation's prime minister. The LDP president is assured to assume the nation's top job because the ruling party controls the more powerful lower chamber of the Japanese parliament and can override upper house decisions. (dpa)