Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto indicated his desire June 19 to be re-elected head of the Liberal Democratic Party and stay on for another two-year term beyond the Sept. 30 end of his current term.
He was speaking at a press conference held shortly before he departed aboard a government jet for Denver, where he will attend a weekend summit of the Group of Seven countries and Russia. Hashimoto repeatedly said his mission is to address a variety of important issues until the end of his term in September, and that he "does not have room" to think about the future beyond that.
But he added that preparation for the election to select the LDP president should proceed "solemnly and in a natural way." He added that he will "follow the decisions of my fellow LDP members."