The Democratic Party of Japan’s presidential election is developing into an unexpectedly tight race, with Prime Minister Naoto Kan gaining 160 votes among the party’s 412 Diet members, compared with the 170 of his sole challenger, Ichiro Ozawa, a Kyodo News survey showed Friday. The situation remains fluid, however, as roughly 80 lawmakers either said they had not decided or refused to respond. They make up around 20 percent of the DPJ members in both Diet chambers.
Former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori submitted a letter of resignation Thursday to his Liberal Democratic Party faction, citing his displeasure with colleague Shinzo Abe, a former prime minister, sources said.
Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa on Thursday backpedaled from his claim the previous day that he had a new, specific plan for relocating U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and basically said the pact reached in May to move the base to Nago, Okinawa, stands.
Democratic Party of Japan kingpin Ichiro Ozawa has been at the center of politics for decades and earned a not-so-pleasant reputation as a backroom fixer who skillfully maneuvers politics in turbulent times.
Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa confirmed Tuesday he will run for DPJ president and thus prime minister, dashing party hopes that an internal power struggle can be avoided before the Sept. 14 election.
Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers intensified efforts Friday to whip up support for the two contenders in the ruling party’s presidential election, Prime Minister Naoto Kan and longtime kingpin Ichiro Ozawa. The battle between the two camps escalated a day after Ozawa’s announcement that he would run in the Sept. 14 poll, which will determine whether Kan can continue to serve as prime minister after only three months in office
Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa broke his silence Thursday to announce he will run against Prime Minister Naoto Kan in the ruling DPJ’s Sept.
Seiko Noda, a Liberal Democratic Party member of the Lower House, has become pregnant through artificial insemination using an egg from someone in the United States after years of fertility treatment, sources said Wednesday.
The decision by Ichiro Ozawa, former Democratic Party of Japan secretary general, to run in the party’s leadership race in September took people by surprise Thursday, with many criticizing his alleged political funding infraction and others expressing hope for stronger leadership. “It’s not appropriate (that Ozawa is running for the DPJ leadership) because the controversy over his funding problems isn’t over yet,” said Yoshiaki Seshimo, 56, of Toda, Saitama Prefecture.
Social Democratic Party lawmaker Seiji Mataichi withdrew his resignation as SDP deputy chief Wednesday, saying he has accepted party leader Mizuho Fukushima’s apology for “insufficient party management.” “We have to unite to save the party from its crisis,” the Upper House lawmaker told an SDP executive meeting.