Kenta Izumi, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), plans to seek re-election in the main opposition party's leadership race next month, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday.
Former CDP leader Yukio Edano, 60, has already expressed his intention to run in the election, expected to take place on Sept. 16 or Sept. 23.
"I'll look back on my steps as CDP leader and consider what is necessary for the CDP" to achieve a change of government, Izumi, 50, told reporters Wednesday when asked about his approach to the leadership election.
Izumi has been serving as CDP leader since November 2021, succeeding Edano, who stepped down to take responsibility for the loss of the party's seats in the House of Representatives election that year.
Some CDP members are calling for a change of the leader, mainly due to delays in building a coalition of opposition parties for the next Lower House election.
Possible challengers to Izumi include former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, 67, and Lower House member Kazuhiko Shigetoku, 53, in addition to Edano.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.