Trade minister Banri Kaieda expressed his intention Friday to run for the Democratic Party of Japan presidency and succeed Prime Minister Naoto Kan, and hinted he may lift the suspension on former party leader Ichiro Ozawa, who will soon go on trial.
With Kan expected to leave office by the end of the month, other potential candidates have also been scurrying for support, including Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda and farm minister Michihiko Kano.
But with the recent development that popular ex-DPJ leader Seiji Maehara might also throw his hat into the ring, it is unclear as to who has the early lead.