TOKYO (AFX-ASIA) - Japan's largest opposition party is set to appoint its
current number two Katsuya Okada as its president, officials said, ending a week
of confusion over the leadership.
Okada, secretary-general of the Democratic Party of Japan, filed his
candidacy for the presidency this morning and is likely to stand unopposed, a
party official said.
Okada is seen as the party's only hope after veteran powerbroker Ichiro
Ozawa yesterday withdrew a pledge to take over after becoming the latest
politician to be embroiled in a scandal over non-payment of pension premiums.
On Friday, Ozawa declared he had bowed to repeated requests to take over the
party leadership to replace Naoto Kan, who was forced to step down on May 10
after admitting he failed to pay compulsory state pension premiums.
But in a surprise announcement late yesterday, Ozawa revoked his agreement,
saying it would be inappropriate as he also did not join the public pension
system for six years until 1986 when it was made compulsory for members of
parliament to do so.
"Since I am in this position right now, I want to do my best to meet the
expectations of supporters of the Democratic Party at any cost," Okada told
reporters ahead of announcing his candidacy.
The pension fund scandal also hit the administration of Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi as eight cabinet members, including Koizumi, admitted to
non-payment of premiums.
Another of them was Koizumi's top aide, Yasuo Fukuda, who stepped down as
chief cabinet secretary earlier this month, but the six others have remained in
office.
The revelations have sparked public anger, coming as the government is
trying to pass an unpopular pension reform bill that would require ordinary
Japanese to pay more.
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