Tokyo - Japan might be heading for a general election in November if the successor to recently resigned Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda dissolves the lower house of parliament early October, local media reported Monday. Reports suggested November 9 or 16 as the likely date for new elections, which would not normally be due until September 2009.
Fukuda's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner, the New Komeito party, are making behind-the-scenes arrangements for an election around November, the Kyodo News agency reported.
Fukuda's recent resignation has candidates lining up to be chosen as his replacement as head of the LDP, and de-facto prime minister, in September 22 party elections.
Candidates to succeed Fukuda include former foreign minister Taro Aso, 67; Economics Minister Kaoru Yosano, 70; former defence minister Yuriko Koike, 56; and a former LDP policy chief Nobuteru Ishihara, 51.
Aso, the top favourite, has indicated he would introduce a state- guided economic programme to lift the nation from the threat of a recession.
But some economists fear such a plan could steer Japan away from the reform course introduced by former premier Junichiro Koizumi.
Critics of the LDP selection process say that a national election would be better than simply changing the country's leadership.
Meanwhile, Ichiro Ozawa, 66, the president of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, was re-elected unopposed for a third term Monday.
Ozawa has a chance to become Japan's prime minister if he can lead his party to victory in the next elections.
