Two months after his Diet comeback in November, Koichi Kato seems to be in two minds over whether to keep a low profile until he is no longer dogged by scandal -- or else reclaim his outspoken political identity.
Kato, a diplomat-turned-politician, said he will steer clear of Nagata-cho power struggles. At the same time, however, he has emerged as a vocal critic of the decision by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi -- his longtime ally -- to send Self-Defense Forces troops to Iraq at a time when their safety cannot be assured.
The 64-year-old former secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party was once widely considered a leading candidate to lead the LDP and thus the nation.