The Democratic Party of Japan will field the head of the Tokyo bureau of the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo in the House of Councilors election this summer.
The party formally endorsed Shinkun Haku, who often appears on television as a commentator on South Korean issues, and Kenzo Fujisue, a former associate professor of government policies and corporate management at the University of Tokyo, as official candidates Tuesday.
The DPJ said Haku, born in Tokyo in 1958, became a naturalized Japanese citizen last year. He previously had South Korean citizenship and went by the name Baek Jin Hoon.
The party said the lay Buddhist group Rissho Kosei-kai are supporting both men in the proportional representation segment of the election.
Rissho Kosei-kai, established in 1938, claims to have followers in 2.05 million households nationwide.
The DPJ decided to formally endorse the two men even though its president, Naoto Kan, harshly criticized New Komeito, the junior member of the ruling coalition, for being backed by Soka Gakkai, the nation's largest lay Buddhist group. Soka Gakkai claims to have followers in 8.21 million households.
Kan has alleged that through its political arm New Komeito, Soka Gakkai effectively controls the Liberal Democratic Party. He has likened New Komeito to a parasitic extraterrestrial monster that feeds off humans.
Haku is in charge of sales and marketing at the newspaper. Although he is not a reporter, he often comments on North Korean affairs.