Japanese ruling party to choose new leader

Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi today said party elections to choose his successor will kick off on September 8, with the vote possibly taking place on September 20.

Because the LDP, together with its junior coalition party, has a majority in both houses of Parliament’s powerful lower house, whoever wins the party elections is almost certain to become Japan’s next prime minister.

The parliamentary vote could take place as early as September 25, Kyodo News agency reported.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to Ottawa, Canada, Koizumi said the official campaign period for the Liberal Democratic Party presidential elections would start on September 8, according to a government official.

Koizumi also suggested the vote by LDP politicians and party members would be held on September 20, the same date as when Koizumi was elected as party head in 2003, according to the official.

LDP official Shingo Abe said none of those dates had been finalised.

According to party rules, the successor to Koizumi takes over as party president with a three-year term the day after Koizumi’s tenure ends on September 20.

Front-runners in the race to replace Koizumi include the popular chief cabinet secretary Shinzo Abe and veteran politician Yasuo Fukuda.

Recent opinion polls have shown Abe leading Fukuda by a large margin.