With Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's resignation imminent, observers predict his most likely successor may be ruling party heavyweight Hiromu Nonaka, a man many say is unlikely to pull the nation out of its current political and economic quagmire.
Although Nonaka has repeatedly denied he intends to run in the next Liberal Democratic Party presidential election, which could be held as early as April, observers say the party's 75-year-old former secretary general will eventually turn out to be a key candidate in the race that will effectively determine the next prime minister.
So far, no one has declared their candidacy.