ID :
139760
Sun, 08/29/2010 - 15:41
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Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/139760
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Kan, Hatoyama likely to meet again Sunday over DPJ leadership vote
TOKYO, Aug. 28 Kyodo -
Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his predecessor Yukio Hatoyama will likely meet
again, probably Sunday when Hatoyama returns from Russia, over the upcoming
Democratic Party of Japan leadership vote amid concerns about a party split due
to a fierce election battle, DPJ sources said Saturday.
Some members of groups backing Kan and his anticipated sole election rival
Ichiro Ozawa are hoping that Hatoyama will serve as a mediator again to ease
the confrontation between the two camps ahead of the Sept. 14 presidential
election, the sources said.
Ozawa, who held the post of secretary general until June, has been critical of
the party management under the current leadership while Kan is seeking to keep
Ozawa, known as a behind-the-scenes power broker, out of important party posts.
Until shortly before Ozawa said Thursday he will run in the DPJ leadership
election, Hatoyama had tried to ease the confrontation between Kan and Ozawa by
serving as a mediator. Hatoyama, who had previously publicly supported Kan's
reelection, said he will support Ozawa when he met with Ozawa on Thursday.
Kan is expected to formally announce his candidacy Tuesday. Official
campaigning for the election will start Wednesday.
As concerns that the DPJ may split after the election are growing among party
members due to the tug-of-war between the Kan and Ozawa camps, Kan may show a
softer stance against Ozawa when he meets with Hatoyama.
In Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, on Saturday, Kan stressed his intention to
pursue party unity after the election. ''If I am reelected, I will place the
right party members and legislators in the right jobs so that they can do their
best.''
But it is unlikely Kan will make a compromise and accept calls from Ozawa for
personnel reshuffles in top party posts, the DPJ sources said.
In Moscow on Saturday, Hatoyama reiterated his support for Ozawa. ''I have to
repay him for leading the DPJ to power and leading me to the premiership,'' he
said.
But Hatoyama's sudden shift to support for Ozawa has caused confusion in his
own party group.
Upon his return from Russia, Hatoyama and senior members of his group are
expected to discuss how they should respond to the party leadership election as
many group members think it is unavoidable for Kan to stay on as party chief
and premier on condition that he pursues party unity after the election, the
sources said.
Hatoyama visited Moscow to attend a publication ceremony for a book co-written
by his son, an urban engineering researcher at Moscow State University, and
Moscow's traffic chief about how to reduce the city's traffic congestion.
==Kyodo
Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his predecessor Yukio Hatoyama will likely meet
again, probably Sunday when Hatoyama returns from Russia, over the upcoming
Democratic Party of Japan leadership vote amid concerns about a party split due
to a fierce election battle, DPJ sources said Saturday.
Some members of groups backing Kan and his anticipated sole election rival
Ichiro Ozawa are hoping that Hatoyama will serve as a mediator again to ease
the confrontation between the two camps ahead of the Sept. 14 presidential
election, the sources said.
Ozawa, who held the post of secretary general until June, has been critical of
the party management under the current leadership while Kan is seeking to keep
Ozawa, known as a behind-the-scenes power broker, out of important party posts.
Until shortly before Ozawa said Thursday he will run in the DPJ leadership
election, Hatoyama had tried to ease the confrontation between Kan and Ozawa by
serving as a mediator. Hatoyama, who had previously publicly supported Kan's
reelection, said he will support Ozawa when he met with Ozawa on Thursday.
Kan is expected to formally announce his candidacy Tuesday. Official
campaigning for the election will start Wednesday.
As concerns that the DPJ may split after the election are growing among party
members due to the tug-of-war between the Kan and Ozawa camps, Kan may show a
softer stance against Ozawa when he meets with Hatoyama.
In Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, on Saturday, Kan stressed his intention to
pursue party unity after the election. ''If I am reelected, I will place the
right party members and legislators in the right jobs so that they can do their
best.''
But it is unlikely Kan will make a compromise and accept calls from Ozawa for
personnel reshuffles in top party posts, the DPJ sources said.
In Moscow on Saturday, Hatoyama reiterated his support for Ozawa. ''I have to
repay him for leading the DPJ to power and leading me to the premiership,'' he
said.
But Hatoyama's sudden shift to support for Ozawa has caused confusion in his
own party group.
Upon his return from Russia, Hatoyama and senior members of his group are
expected to discuss how they should respond to the party leadership election as
many group members think it is unavoidable for Kan to stay on as party chief
and premier on condition that he pursues party unity after the election, the
sources said.
Hatoyama visited Moscow to attend a publication ceremony for a book co-written
by his son, an urban engineering researcher at Moscow State University, and
Moscow's traffic chief about how to reduce the city's traffic congestion.
==Kyodo