Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori indicated his support Friday for holding the Liberal Democratic Party presidential race before compiling emergency measures to boost the ailing economy, effectively indicating he is not trying to hold onto power.
The comments to top officials of the tripartite ruling bloc suggest Mori opposes calls from some in the LDP that the party race should be held some time later than May to prioritize the introduction of the economic package, ruling bloc officials said.
"Economic steps and the party race should be separated," Mori was quoted as saying in a meeting with the heads of the LDP's two coalition partners -- New Komeito leader Takenori Kanzaki and New Conservative Party head Chikage Ogi.
In Friday's meeting, also attended by the secretaries general of the ruling parties, Mori said he will discuss the economy with U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday.
Mori said other topics expected to be raised in the summit include security cooperation and last month's collision between a U.S. Navy submarine and a Japanese high school fisheries training ship.
The LDP is split over the timing of the race. While some major power brokers want the election to be held after May, LDP leaders and their coalition partners want an election in April.
Earlier in the week, Mori proposed bringing forward the party election from September, widely seen as a signal of his intention to resign.
Mori said the question of when and how to hold the race should be discussed by the party.
The winner of the party race would become the nation's leader because of the LDP-led coalition's majority in the House of Representatives, which has the final say in selecting a prime minister.