Campaigning officially kicked off Wednesday for the Sept. 14 Democratic Party of Japan presidential election, with Prime Minister Naoto Kan trying to keep the helm and DPJ kingpin Ichiro Ozawa seeking to wrest it from him.

The two faced reporters at the New Otani hotel in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward and laid down their goals and fielded questions, with Kan, who unlike his rival is not dogged by scandal, underscoring that the poll winner would be prime minister.

Ozawa vowed to restore pledges the DPJ made when it came to power a year ago, including reviving the Futenma base debate and spending to double the child allowance.