The two candidates in today's Shinshinto leadership election made their final attempts Wednesday to capture support within the government's largest opposition force, and party sources say the race is too close to call.
Party President Ichiro Ozawa, 55, is seeking his second two-year term. Michihiko Kano, 55, former head of the Management and Coordination Agency, hopes to oust Ozawa by highlighting the party's declining strength over the past two years.
Shinshinto's 175 Diet members and 242 local chapter leaders, including 68 who are planning to run in the next Lower House election, will cast their votes at an extraordinary party convention to be held at a Tokyo hotel this afternoon. The results are expected to be announced by around 2:30 p.m., the sources said.
Both camps claimed Wednesday that they have secured enough votes to win the race by a slim majority.
Among Shinshinto's various factions, a majority of the largest group, composed of former members of the now-defunct Komeito, favors Kano over Ozawa, the sources said. Ozawa enjoys more support than Kano among a group of defectors from the Liberal Democratic Party, as well as among other unaffiliated members, they added.
Experts predict that regardless of who wins, the election will probably hasten the gradual demise of the 3-year-old party, rather than give it a chance for new life.