Yukio Hatoyama, secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan, indicated Friday the main opposition party will not support Deputy Bank of Japan Gov. Toshiro Muto if he is picked to succeed Toshihiko Fukui as chief of the central bank.
Muto, a former administrative vice finance minister, is regarded as a leading candidate to succeed Fukui, whose term expires in March 2008.
As the DPJ-led opposition camp gained a majority in the House of Councilors in the July 29 election, the party's opposition is likely to make Muto's appointment difficult because it requires endorsement from both Diet chambers.
This is also the case even if it is endorsed by the Lower House, where the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito still hold a comfortable majority.
The DPJ recently topped the LDP to become the largest party in the Upper House.
Heizo Takenaka, former internal affairs and communications minister under former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, is also regarded as a candidate to become the next BOJ governor.
"We don't have enough knowledge" about Takenaka, Hatoyama said.