A senior official of the Liberal Democratic Party faction headed by former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto said Thursday that, if chosen as new party chief, Hashimoto will retain two of the party's current top executives.
The move is widely seen as an effort to boost Hashimoto's bid for the LDP's presidency by seeking support from factional groups to which the party executives belong.
Hiromu Nonaka, former LDP secretary general and a top member of the Hashimoto faction, the LDP's largest, indicated to reporters that LDP policy chief Shizuka Kamei would continue in his post if Hashimoto wins. Kamei himself is one of the four candidates in the race.