Takenori Kanzaki、president of New Komeito

Akihiro Ota, acting secretary-general of New Komeito, and Kazuo Kitagawa, minister of land, infrastructure and transport, have been considered major candidates to replace Kanzaki, 62, who has led the party since 1998. It is possible that the acting party president, Toshiko Hamayotsu, will be picked to attract voters, the sources added.

New Komeito joined the governing bloc in 1999 under the leadership of Kanzaki, but the Liberal-Democratic Party's landslide victory in last year's Lower House election has weakened its clout in the coalition.

The Japan Times Weekly: March 11, 2006
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