Japanese PM Formally Announces to Quit SoonEmbattled Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori told his cabinet on Friday morning that he will resign in the near future, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said."I have decided to resign because I decided that it is necessary to establish a new political structure," the top government spokesman quoted Mori as saying. Although Mori has told top LDP executives he will resign, it is the first time for Mori to officially express his resignation to his cabinet members. He never publicly made such a statement before. Mori, who had one of the lowest approval ratings of any Japanese prime minister, last month agreed to bring forward from September the election for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidency, paving the way for his resignation as early as this month. Ruling bloc politicians have been calling for Mori's resignation out of concern they would suffer a serious setback in July's House of Councillors election if unpopular Mori stays in office. Mori and LDP Secretary General Makoto Koga agreed Wednesday, the day marking one year of Mori's premiership, to hold the presidential election on April 24. The new LDP chief would automatically become the next Japanese prime minister as the party dominates the three-way ruling coalition of LDP, New Komeito and New Conservative Party. If the election is held as planned, a new Japanese cabinet will most likely be formed on April 26. Yet, up to now, the confusion still reigns over who will take over. Calls for former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto to run are mounting in the largest LDP faction, led by Hashimoto himself. But the group, which holds the key to the race, is still split over whether to back Hashimoto or former LDP Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka, who has repeatedly denied that he will run. Meanwhile, former Health and Welfare Minister Junichiro Koizumi, the nominal head of the Mori's faction inside LDP, gained the support from senior officials of the group in a meeting Thursday morning. Some LDP members said that he will announce to run in days. LDP policy chief Shizuka Kamei suggested on Wednesday he may run while Minister of Economic and Fiscal Policy Taro Aso and Justice Minister Masahiko Komura are also possible candidates. Japanese Ex-PM May Run for LDP PresidencyFormer Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto said Friday he may stand in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) presidential election to determine the next prime minister, if his faction supports him."As a politician, I am honored," the former prime minister told a news conference in the morning. "I will have (faction members) make the decision," he added. Earlier in the day, embattled Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori officially announced that he will step down from his post. Mori and LDP Secretary General Makoto Koga agreed Wednesday to hold the presidential election on April 24. The new LDP chief would automatically become the next Japanese prime minister as the party dominates the three-way ruling coalition of LDP, New Komeito and New Conservative Party. If the election is held as planned, a new Japanese cabinet will most likely be formed on April 26. Though it is still unclear as to who will take over, the possibility for Hashimoto to run grew after an influential member of the faction said Thursday night that the group will not field former LDP Secretary General Hiromu Nonaka, another member of the faction. |
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