Internal affairs minister Seiko Noda admitted Monday that she is concerned about her quest to challenge Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in September because her eligibility is still in doubt.
"It's a very tough situation for me. I'm treading a thorny path," Noda, 57, told a Tokyo gathering organized by a Jiji Press-affiliated public corporation.
After attempting unsuccessfully to declare her candidacy in the ruling party's previous presidential election in 2015, Noda has made no secret of her desire to throw her hat into the ring this time around. But the reality is she stands little chance of dethroning Abe or even entering the contest due to lack of intraparty support.