Internal affairs minister Seiko Noda announced Friday that she has given up plans to run for a critical leadership election set for Sept. 20, again postponing her long-shot bid to replace Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as the nation's first female leader.
Noda's decision not to throw her hat into the ring for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election has set the stage for a showdown between Abe and his only challenger, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Abe is widely expected to win the contest, effectively extending his premiership by another three years.
"I have been trying to be in a position to join the race, but despite all the support I've gained so far I've reached the decision to give up on my bid," Noda told a packed news conference in Tokyo.