Katsuya Okada was assured of re-election as president of the Democratic Party of Japan on Monday after no one stepped forward to challenge him.
Okada led the DPJ to huge gains in the July House of Councilors election. He has effectively secured a two-year term that will begin after his current term expires at the end of September.
The DPJ under Okada has become a dangerous competitor for the ruling coalition, led by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party.