Democratic Party of Japan President Banri Kaieda on Thursday confirmed that he still intends to lead the teetering party and spurned mounting calls to hold a leadership election before his term ends in September 2015.
"With careful consideration, I would like to stay on as president," Kaieda said at a meeting of all DPJ Diet members.
Former Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba was among the members who called for an early election, but Kaieda rejected it.