Four Liberal Democratic Party foes of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's postal reform push and a defector from the main opposition force announced Wednesday they will form a new party and run on its ticket in the Sept. 11 poll.
The move is expected to deepen the rift among conservative politicians -- and their support groups -- before the general election.
The party, Kokumin Shinto (People's New Party), will be headed by former House of Representatives Speaker Tamisuke Watanuki and include former LDP policy affairs chief Shizuka Kamei, ex-National Land Agency Director General Hisaoki Kamei and Kensei Hasegawa of the House of Councilors.