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Katsuya Okada, who is currently the acting head of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, said Thursday that he will run for the party presidency.
The DPJ will choose a leader to replace Banri Kaieda on Jan 18.
Kaieda, who led the DPJ to its third consecutive defeat at the Dec 14 lower house election, lost his own seat. The DPJ managed to win 73 seats, just 11 up on last time and a long way off the numbers that gave the party control of the house between 2009 and 2012. The ruling Liberal-Democratic Party and Komeito Party coalition waltzed home with 326 seats.
Okada, 61, a former foreign minister, told a news conference that he wants to rebuild the DPJ into a viable opposition force that can wrest control from the LDP, TV Asahi reported. He also said it was unlikely that the DPJ would merge with other opposition parties, citing differences in policies.
Okada becomes the second candidate for the DPJ leadership. Last week, former Environment Minister Goshi Hosono, 43, announced that he would run.
Another senior DPJ executive being touted, former Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, 52, said Thursday he would not throw his hat into the ring, saying the time was not right now for him to run, TV Asahi reported.
Meanwhile, Japanese media reported that former administrative reform minister Renho, 47, is considering a run, but she has made no comment yet.
To run for the leadership position, candidates must have the backing of 20 party members.
© Japan Today
4 Comments
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Mizuame
Hosono is too arrogant. Cannot forget his statement that the decision not to release details of the Fukushima radiation as it occurred was "to prevent confusion."
Simon Foston
I respect Okada's stance on not joining forces with other opposition parties that the DPJ doesn't have policies in common with, but this is the man who lost to Koizumi in 2006. He hasn't done anything amazing since then and I see no reason why he should get another shot at the job.
Serrano
Isn't Loopy Hatoyama or Loach Noda running again?
itsonlyrocknroll
They really are out there with the fairies. The same old, same old, Katsuya Okada should remain 'acting head' take time out to search for a candidate that is not associated the previous the train wreak of a government.