Ichiro Ozawa was re-elected uncontested as leader of the Liberal Party for a second three-year term Wednesday, officials said.
The opposition party accepted candidates at its Tokyo headquarters between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., during which time only Ozawa's candidacy was put forward. Liberal Party Secretary General Hirohisa Fujii filed the nomination, submitting a list of 26 party Diet members who recommend Ozawa for the leadership. The list did not include Ozawa himself.
The Liberal Party leader is expected to retain senior party executives in their current posts, party sources said.
Ozawa has said he hopes to secure cooperation with the Democratic Party of Japan and the Social Democratic Party in next summer's House of Councilors election in an attempt to block the three ruling parties -- the Liberal Democratic Party, New Komeito and the New Conservative Party -- from retaining their majority.
The Liberal Party was launched in January 1998 following the dissolution of Shinshinto. It was a part of the ruling camp between January 1999 and April. The 13-member NCP, set up in April, is a breakaway from the Liberal Party.