Hidenao Nakagawa

Veteran politician Hidenao Nakagawa ascended to the position of secretar general, or second in command, of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party despite scandals still dogging him.

Nakagawa assumed the post of chief Cabinet secretary in July 2000 under Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori but resigned that October after coming under criticism for his reported involvement in an extramarital affair and for having links with a senior member of a rightwing group.

Focus magazine publisher Shinchosha Co. has appealed to the Supreme Court against a lower court order to compensate Nakagawa, 62, for running a story claiming he had an extramarital affair as well as links with a rightwing group.