The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ to power) began Friday morning, the election of its president, the outgoing Finance Minister Naoto Kan as favorite.
Mr. Kan, 63, who is also deputy prime minister, enjoys the support of many members of the DPJ, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs Katsuya Okada and Transport Minister Seiji Maehara.
Winston faces Tarutoko Shinji, a relatively unknown MP who chairs the committee of the House of Representatives on the environment.
The election started at 9:00 when the party began to accept applications. A general meeting of DPJ’s parliamentary both Houses of Parliament will open at 11:00 for choosing their new leader.
Yukio Hatoyama and members of his cabinet resigned en bloc on Friday morning.
The new president of the DPJ, which must be called at 12:30, local time, is certain to become the new prime minister of Japan since the party holds a comfortable majority in the powerful lower house.
Mr. Hatoyama announced his resignation on Wednesday, bowing to pressure from his party following its poor handling of the relocation of a U.S. base in Okinawa and a scandal over political funding.
A survey conducted nationally by The Yomiuri Shimbun on Wednesday and Thursday shows that the rate of support for the DPJ rose to 29% after the resignation of Mr. Hatoyama and Secretary General of the DPJ Ichiro Ozawacontre, while he was 20% last weekend. The survey also showed that 69% of respondents approve their resignations.