Taku Yamasaki, former vice president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, stressed the need Tuesday for improved ties with China.
"Faltering diplomacy has resulted in serious obstacles in dealing with issues such as North Korea's missile launches," Yamasaki said. "Under a post-Koizumi administration, we must tackle this situation."
He told his faction he might run in the LDP presidential election in September when Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi steps down as head of the party.
"I am working with the passion that I would have (in the leadership election) if there is no candidate that has the same political vision as the Yamasaki faction," he said.
Yamasaki called Koizumi's annual visits to Yasukuni Shrine, which have angered China and South Korea, a domestic as well as a diplomatic issue and that the next prime minister should not visit the shrine.