Ichiro Ozawa, the embattled leader of Shinshinto, will face new challenges in December when the largest opposition party is expected to elect its next chief.
Michihiko Kano, the party's chief of public relations, announced Friday his wish to run for the top post, saying Shinshinto should become a "healthy opposition party" by completely renewing its management roster.
Kano has been critical of Ozawa's quest for a conservative alliance with members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. "Shinshinto has not played its role as the largest opposition party," Kano told a hastily arranged news conference Friday. "I have decided to act to restructure this party to make it a strong enough force to replace the ruling LDP."