The Democratic Party of Japan on Friday refused to accept a list of 41 nominees for key government positions, maintaining its opposition to the one tapped to head the Fair Trade Commission because his name was leaked to the media, even though when the DPJ was recently in power, it backed him.

The move by the largest opposition party further complicates the nomination process, as the nominees must receive approval from both Diet chambers.

DPJ board members walked out of meetings in both chambers to protest the recent revelation by the media that Kazuyuki Sugimoto was tipped by the Liberal Democratic Party-led government to head the FTC chief, just as deputy chief Cabinet secretaries were submitting the list of nominees.