Jul 30 04:40 AM US/EasternTOKYO, July 30 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Main opposition Democratic Party of Japan Vice President Katsuya Okada said Wednesday he currently does "not have a strong eagerness" to file his candidacy for the party's presidential election to be held in September.
Citing that he resigned from the DPJ presidential post in 2005 to take responsibility for the party's setback in the House of Representatives election the same year, Okada said he thinks he should "restrain" himself until the next general election is held.
"I, at the moment, do not have a strong eagerness over the presidential election," Okada said at a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo.
He also suggested that he is not confident in winning the general election by becoming the leader of the party, saying, "I'm not sure whether the environment has drastically changed (now) from 2005."
Regarding DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa, whose term is set to expire in September, Okada called him the "biggest contributor" to the party gaining high popularity among the public.
Ozawa is widely expected to run again in the September leadership race. Many party lawmakers have expressed support for Ozawa, who led the DPJ to a landslide victory in the House of Councillors election in July 2007.
"He has worked steadily also after the upper house election last summer," Okada said.
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