Former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto on Thursday was named head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's largest faction, which was formerly led by the late Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.
The decision to name Hashimoto as the successor to Tamisuke Watanuki, who left the post after he was elected speaker of the House of Representatives, came at the day's executive meeting.
His appointment will become formal at the faction's general session slated for Tuesday.
Hashimoto said he would continue the faction's current consensus-oriented decision-making process even after assuming the post.
The faction, originally founded by the late Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita in the 1980s and taken over by Obuchi in 1992, boasts 97 out of the 232 LDP members in both chambers of the Diet.
Not only does the faction currently have Hiromu Nonaka installed as LDP secretary general, but former Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki is also expected to return to party affairs as leader of the Upper House LDP members.
However, after the successive deaths of Takeshita and Obuchi in June, the group had been without a real leader, as Watanuki was seen as a figurehead.
Political observers said Hashimoto's appointment will, at least on the face of things, give the faction a potential candidate for LDP president, which has almost always lead to the prime ministership due to the party's strength in the Diet.