Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, Finance Minister
Sadakazu Tanigaki and Foreign Minister Taro Aso filed their
candidacies on Friday as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
began official campaigning for its Sept. 20 presidential election
which will select a successor to the outgoing Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi.
The three, with Abe enjoying a comfortable lead in popularity
and being believed certain to win, were registered by their
assistants at the headquarters of the LDP in Tokyo.
Results of recent media research showed that Abe not only has
secured the support of over 70 percent of fellow LDP lawmakers who
will vote in the election, but also have the advantage over the
other two candidates in 36 local LDP organizations.
The three candidates are to explain their policy viewpoints on
issues of domestic politics and foreign affairs on various
occasions in order to catch a simple majority of ballots in the
presidential election on Sept. 20 when 403 LDP lawmakers and 300
party members from local chapters will cast their votes to select
the party chief.
The issues at the center of their debate are Japan's isolated
diplomacy in Asia and tax hike, as well as income and regional
disparities, the local press said.
Winner of the election is certain to be next prime minister
because the ruling bloc, made up of the LDP and its coalition
partner New Komeito party, has a majority in the lower house, which
hold the decision power in selecting the premier.
The LDP and opposition parties agreed on Thursday to pick the
successor to Koizumi in an extra Diet session on Sept. 26.
(Xinhua News Agency September 8, 2006)
