Tokyo - Two candidates began their one-on-one battle Saturday as their official bids were accepted to run in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election as a successor to outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Former chief cabinet secretary Yasuo Fukuda was leading the race with support from a majority of the party's lawmakers, while LDP Secretary General Taro Aso was initially considered the frontrunner.
The LDP presidential election was scheduled for September 23, after current leader Abe abruptly ended his year-long premiership on Wednesday, after he failed to gain support for Japan's continued military assistance to refuel allied warships for the war in Afghanistan.
The winner of the LDP presidential election would be assured of becoming prime minister, as the party controls the House of Representatives, which can override upper chamber decisions.
Known as a political dove, Fukuda, 71, has said his priority would be to promote Japanese diplomacy in the Asian region.
Aso, a 66-year-old hawk, has expressed conservative views and been criticized for controversial remarks against Asian neighbours.
One of the main issues in the intra-party race is expected to be whether the winner receives enough support to extend the Japanese Self-Defence Forces' refuelling mission in the fight against terrorism, which Abe considered Japan's responsibility as a member of the international community.
Abe resigned because he said he failed to fulfil his responsibility. LDP and the coalition New Komeito lost their majority in the House of Councillors in July elections, making it difficult to pass the controversial bill to extend the anti-terrorism mission.
Abe, 52, is currently hospitalized for a gastrointestinal disorder.
As potential successor to Abe, the two candidates plan to push a continued anti-terrorist mission in the Indian Ocean, they said at a joint press conference Saturday.
Fukuda was expected to convince the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, which controls Japan's upper house and planned to vote against passing the special law.
Aso, meanwhile, would introduce a new law and consider other options to extend the mission passed its November 1 deadline.
On the North Korean issues, dovish Fukuda said he intended to maintain the "dialogue and pressure" approach but saw the need to consider other means for smoother negotiations with Pyongyang to resolve the years-old abduction issue involving Japanese nationals.
The hard-liner Aso favoured putting pressure on the communist state, citing the UN Security Council sanctions resolution to halt North Korea's ballistic missile testing and to resume the six-party talks to denuclearize Pyongyang.
On visits to Yasukuni Shrine, Fukuda has said earlier in the day he "saw no need to do anything that upsets other nations" and he would not plan to visit the controversial Shinto shrine, which honours 2.5 million war dead including convicted war criminals.
Visits to the Tokyo Shrine by Japanese prime ministers have angered Asian nations, especially China and South Korea, which experienced Japan's wartime atrocities.
