One of the major topics of speculation among political observers nowadays is what course of action former internal affairs minister Kunio Hatoyama will take following his revolt against Prime Minister Taro Aso. He will have to make up his mind soon now that the date of the next general election has just been set for the end of August.
Since submitting his resignation June 12, he has consistently denied that he would leave the ruling Liberal Democratic Party or would consider forming his own political group. Very few, if any, political insiders take his words at face value.
Although Hatoyama had long been known as Aso's staunch ally and right-hand man, a bitter feud developed between the two earlier this year when Hatoyama opposed the reappointment of Yoshifumi Nishikawa as the chief executive officer of Japan Post Holdings Co. Hatoyama complained that Nishikawa was not qualified to remain at the helm because Nishikawa was planning to sell off the company's assets to a private enterprise at an unreasonably low price. Such an act, Hatoyama maintained, was unjust and betrayed the citizens of Japan.