Campaigning for the Democratic Party of Japan's presidential election officially kicked off Saturday, with five candidates vying to succeed Prime Minister Naoto Kan.
Former Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, ex-transport minister Sumio Mabuchi, trade minister Banri Kaieda, Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda and farm minister Michihiko Kano have just two days to win over the party's 398 Diet members, who will vote Monday morning.
Because Kan's two-year term as party president is not slated to end until September 2012, the party's local assembly members and registered supporters are not allowed to participate in the vote.
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