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Japan's Koizumi Poised to Win LDP Race After Sweeping Primaries
Japan's Former Health and Welfare Minister Junichiro Koizumi is poised to win the presidential election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and become the nation's next leader after sweeping the LDP primaries on Monday.
Koizumi snatched 123 out of 141 primary votes in a landslide victory while his main rival, former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, only got 15, final returns showed Monday night.
Another contender LDP policy chief Shizuka Kamei got three ballots and Taro Aso, minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy, won none.
The new party president will be elected Tuesday through votes cast by 346 lawmakers, as well as the 141 representatives.
If the 59-year-old Koizumi wins the LDP presidential election, he will almost certainly become Japan's new prime minister to succeed embattled Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori as the LDP-led coalition controls a majority in the House of Representatives, which has final say in choosing a premier.
The once favorite Hashimoto hinted Monday that he might withdraw in the case of a runoff.
"The competition consists of primaries by party members and the final selection (by Diet members)," Hashimoto said, "Whether there will be an extra-inning game depends on umpires' judgment by the time of the voting by lawmakers."
Hashimoto only managed to win in his home prefecture of Okayama and in Okinawa, Kyoto, Shimane and Tottori prefectures.
As koizumi's victory is all but assured, politicians have already shifted their focus the formation of the new cabinet and the possible candidates to the important posts inside LDP.
Koizumi repeatedly said that he will retain several current cabinet ministers if he won, but intended to conduct thorough cabinet reshuffle.
The 59-year-old reformist also announced that he plans to break free from factional dynamics in the allocation of posts.
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