Aso, Hiranuma to stay out of LDP presidential race

Japan Policy & Politics, July 22, 2003

TOKYO, July 17 Kyodo

Taro Aso, policy chief of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), indicated Wednesday he would not run in the party's presidential election in September, saying he does not want to drag down Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

Meanwhile, Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma reiterated Wednesday that he would not run in the LDP presidential race. The winner is assured of the prime ministership in view of the LDP's dominant strength in the Diet.

''The cabinet under Prime Minister Koizumi enjoys between 50% and 60% of approval rate, and this prime minister is saying he will continue to do his best. I certainly have no intention to drag him down,'' Aso said in a speech at the LDP headquarters Wednesday night.

Aso, however, declined to say whether he would support a second term for Koizumi as LDP leader. ''I did not say that far,'' Aso told reporters after the speech.

Aso said he and Koizumi have differences on economic policy and he intends to make his views known and demand that Koizumi takes more aggressive economic policies.

On the diplomatic front, Aso said Koizumi's achievement was satisfactory.

''No other Japanese prime minister in the post-war period has ever been invited to the private residence of the U.S. president to stay overnight,'' Aso said, referring to Koizumi's visit last May to U.S. President George W. Bush's ranch in Texas.

''This is not bad for the Japanese diplomacy and national security,'' he said.

Hiranuma has been under pressure from the rank-and-file of the LDP faction led by Mitsuo Horiuchi, chairman of the party's General Council, to contest the upcoming LDP presidential election.

Hiranuma met with a group of LDP lawmakers from the Horiuchi faction Wednesday night and reiterated that he has no intention to run.

Earlier in the day, Hiromu Nonaka, a former LDP secretary general and a party heavyweight, said he is considering nominating someone to replace Koizumi as LDP leader, saying Koizumi is being ''arrogant.''

Koizumi said Tuesday the LDP should replace him the party opposes his plans to privatize Japan's postal service.