Akihiro Ota, the new leader of the New Komeito AP PHOTO

The party endorsed Ota, 60, to replace Takenori Kanzaki as its leader at a party convention in Tokyo.

Ota, who had been the party's acting secretary general, ran unopposed in the leadership election.

He takes the reins at a crucial juncture for New Komeito, which is being criticized by some members for aligning too closely with the LDP, especially in its support for the war in Iraq and allowing relations with China to deteriorate.

The Japan Times Weekly: Oct. 7, 2006
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