Taipei, Sept. 23 (CNA) Taiwan's close relations with Japan are expected to continue regardless of who wins the Oct. 4 leadership election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a Taiwanese diplomat in charge of Japanese affairs said Tuesday. The race to lead Japan's main ruling LDP officially kicked off on Monday. Former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi, the party's former Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Economic Security Minister Takaichi Sanae and Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi are in the running. Taiwan-Japan Relations Association Secretary-General Chang Jen-joe (張仁久) said at a press briefing that he disagreed with news reports stating some of the candidates are considered more "China-friendly." Meanwhile, Kobayashi and Takaichi visited Taiwan in June and in April this year, while Koizumi last visited Taiwan in 2013 as the LDP's youth division chief.