Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and the No. 2 man of his Liberal Democratic Party agreed Wednesday to hold the party's long-awaited presidential election before Golden Week, which begins at the end of the month.

A specific date for electing Mori's successor was not established, but the LDP is trying to set it around April 23, with a new Cabinet expected to be formed as early as April 26, party sources said.

During a one-on-one meeting Wednesday, Mori told LDP Secretary General Makoto Koga to "immediately" prepare for the election and assemble the election committee to discuss a date, Koga said.