The Social Democratic Party, one of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's two smaller non-Cabinet allies, decided Tuesday to postpone its Dec. 27 party leadership election because nobody stepped forward to toss a hat in the ring.

Earlier in the day, SDP executives failed during a meeting of lawmakers to persuade incumbent leader Takako Doi to enter the race and retain her post. The election's official registration for candidates closed Tuesday afternoon; nobody turned up to register. SDP Secretary General Shigeru Ito said that a new registration date will be decided later, possibly in January.

Doi, 69, a former Lower House Speaker, has refused to accept requests from her colleagues to seek re-election, complaining that the party is simply relying on her popularity to keep afloat. Ito said the SDP decided during the meeting to set up a panel to discuss how to improve the party through a group effort.

Doi's current term expires on Jan. 22. The SDP has to pick up a new leader before it holds its national convention Jan. 24 and 25.

Ito indicated that he believes Doi will eventually accept seeking a second term, saying, "I think Ms. Doi knows best what would happen to the party if she quits now." Doi, a jurist-turned-politician, returned to the SDP's helm in September 1996 after her colleagues repeatedly and earnestly prodded her to replace former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama.

The SDP at that time strongly hoped to have her in the post before the Oct. 20 general election, believing her presence would stem the public's declining support for the party. She had previously served as SDP leader between 1986 and 1991 and gained widespread popularity,