After a fierce two-week campaign, Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Tuesday defeated Democratic Party of Japan bigwig Ichiro Ozawa in the ruling party's presidential election, securing his post and avoiding yet another leadership change.

Kan and Ozawa basically split the votes cast by DPJ lawmakers, but Kan pulled away with overwhelming support from general party members and regional assembly members. He received 721 points to Ozawa's 491 in the party's voting system.

Kan campaigned on greater fiscal austerity, job creation and a possible consumption tax hike, while Ozawa called for aggressive government spending. Attention is now focused on whether Kan can hold the party together and preserve his political clout to implement his election pledges.