TMCnet News
2ND LD: Ozawa announces candidacy in DPJ presidential election+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)TOKYO, April 5_(Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING WITH OZAWA ANNOUNCING CANDIDACY IN LEAD, 2ND GRAF) Veteran lawmaker Ichiro Ozawa announced his candidacy Wednesday in Friday's election to pick a new president of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan. Another veteran lawmaker Naoto Kan is expected to announce his candidacy in the race later Wednesday. The election, called after an embarrassing debacle forced current leader Seiji Maehara to step down, appears likely to be a duel between Ozawa, former party vice president, and Kan, a two-time party president, though a third candidate may emerge. Yoshinori Suematsu, the party's International Department chief, expressed his readiness to run at a news conference in the morning, though he is struggling to gather endorsement from enough DPJ lawmakers, according to party sources. Kan indicated Wednesday morning he would announce his candidacy at the press conference. "I will draw a conclusion in the afternoon to express my stance," he told reporters at the Diet building. Both Ozawa and Kan are expected to present their views on policy and ways to shape up the party, which has been shaken by a series of leadership changes the past few years. Maehara, who was picked president last September, announced his intention to resign over a scandal involving a fake e-mail message cited in a DPJ attack on a senior Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker. The new DPJ leader will complete the remainder of Maehara's term through September. |