Ominous clouds hung over the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, New Komeito, on the eve of Tuesday's start of official campaigning for the Sept. 11 general election.
Former posts minister Eita Yashiro had just announced he would run as an independent in the Tokyo No. 12 district, the home turf of New Komeito Deputy Secretary General Akihiro Ota.
Yashiro's candidacy poses a threat to Ota, touted as a possible future leader of New Komeito, and has apparently stunned the party and its main support group, the lay Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai.