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LDP Announces Beginning of Presidential Race
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Wednesday officially announced the start of campaigning for its presidential election to choose a successor to outgoing Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.
The announcement was made a day before the filing of candidacies for the April 24 race, with at least three candidates set to vie for the post.
Former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, 63, former Health and Welfare Minister Junichiro Koizumi, 59, and LDP policy chief Shizuka Kamei, 64, are set to run in the election, while two others, Minister of Economic and Fiscal Policy Taro Aso, 60, and former Trade Minister Mitsuo Horiuchi, 71, are possible candidates, party officials said.
The winner of the race will almost certainly become the next Japanese prime minister because the LDP-led coalition holds a majority in the House of Representatives, which has the final say in selecting the top government post.
The election officially began after LDP lawmakers approved a proposal by the party leadership on the timing and method of the race in a meeting at party headquarters.
Under the plan approved Wednesday, the next LDP president will be chosen by votes from the party's 346 lawmakers and 141 votes from its local chapters, three votes each from the party's 47 prefectural branches.
Mori agreed last month to move up the presidential race from September after coming under fire for a string of verbal gaffes and scandals involving himself and his party.
The embattled prime minister made the decision after facing calls for his resignation from ruling bloc lawmakers, who were worried they will suffer a huge setback in July's House of Councillors election if the unpopular prime minister stays in office.
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