The Tokyo District Court on Thursday rejected a demand for damages by a key aide to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi from the publisher of a magazine that branded him a "shadow prime minister."

Presiding Judge Yoichi Sato dismissed Isao Iijima's demand for 11 million yen in compensation from Kodansha Ltd., saying the expression is permissible as a satirical metaphor.

Published in the Aug. 21-28, 2004, edition of the weekly Shukan Gendai, the article was titled, "The 'shadow prime minister' boasts; Secretary Iijima says to the prime minister, 'Abe is not resigning but will be sacked,' " referring to senior lawmaker Shinzo Abe.

Abe at that time was expressing his intention to step down from the post of secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to take responsibility for the party's election setback. He was replaced the following month.

The plaintiff said the article defamed him by giving readers the impression he was manipulating the prime minister's personnel postings and other issues behind the scenes.

The judge ruled, however, that the article does not constitute defamation as it merely gives the impression that the secretary made remarks based on Koizumi's intentions.

Shukan Gendai expressed satisfaction with the ruling.