Executives of the governing Liberal Democratic Party have reportedly decided to hold the party's presidential election around April 20, although Prime Minister and LDP President Yoshiro Mori claims he has never expressed his intention to resign. Mori and the LDP are totally irresponsible.
If he persists in denying media reports on his intention to resign, Mori should run in the LDP presidential election. If he loses, people will be satisfied. More than 80 percent of respondents in opinion polls do not support Mori.
Intra-LDP factions are jockeying for position in behind-the-scenes bargaining over Mori's replacement. The key player is the Keiseikai group, which has controlled Japanese rulers since 1987, when Noboru Takeshita took power as prime minister.