Hiromu Nonaka's sudden announcement that he will leave the House of Representatives has made at least one thing crystal clear -- the largest faction in the Liberal Democratic Party is on the verge of breaking up.
Until Nonaka's news conference Tuesday, members of the 100-strong faction led by former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto strove to maintain an image of unity despite sharp conflicts over choosing a candidate for the Sept. 20 LDP presidential election.
But no longer.