The ruling Liberal Democratic Party could very well be in for a bitter power struggle among three of its principal intraparty factions following the general election expected by September. The outcome of that struggle could also be a harbinger of a broader political reorganization involving not only the LDP but also the Democratic Party of Japan, the No. 1 opposition group.
The LDP, which has ruled Japan since 1955 except for a brief interruption, is made up of a number of "factions" or "cliques," each of which functions like a political party. That's why the LDP is sometimes referred to as a "coalition of conservative parties."
Until around 13 years ago, when the members of the Lower House were elected from constituencies of two or more seats, the head of an intraparty faction was a powerful figure with control over campaign funds, the right to name candidates and the power to nominate lawmakers for Cabinet posts.