Nuclear power key topic in Japan leader race

[August 27, 2011]  TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's former Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara who is vying to become Japan's next prime minister says the country should stop building nuclear power plants.

Maehara appeared to take the clearest stand against nuclear power at a news conference Saturday where five ruling party members aiming to replace Prime Minister Naoto Kan outlined their policy goals.

Another top contender for the job is Economy Minister Banri Kaieda. He says he plans to decommission aging nuclear plants found to have problems during stress tests.

Atomic energy is a key topic in Japan following the tsunami-spawned nuclear accident in March.

The ruling Democratic party will vote Monday to select a new party chief, who will become prime minister -- Japan's sixth in five years.

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AP's earlier story is below.

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TOKYO (AP) -- A close race emerged Saturday among the men seeking to replace Prime Minister Naoto Kan and lead Japan as it emerges from its worst disaster since World War II, with five declaring their candidacy for the ruling party's top spot.

Kan announced Friday he would resign after serving nearly 15 months that have been plagued by ruling party infighting, gridlock in parliament and clamorous criticism of his administration's tepid initial reponse to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and ensuing nuclear crisis.

A new leader is to be chosen Monday. Public opinion polls show that the favorite to replace Kan is former Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, but Trade Minister Banri Kaieda has emerged as a strong contender after Japanese media reports said he was backed by veteran party power broker Ichiro Ozawa.

The Japanese public, yearning for political unity and resolve in the wake of the disasters, has grown disgusted with the squabbles and blame-trading that have dominated parliamentary sessions.

"It's embarrassing. It's hard to keep track of who's prime minister these days," said Rie Aoki, a housewife in the Tokyo suburb of Fuchu. "It's so upsetting to see them squabbling in parliament. Elementary students have more interesting conversations."

She said she hoped the politicians would focus on the northeastern coastal region -- called Tohoku -- that was devastated by the tsunami. "I really want them to work together to think about what Tohoku needs," she said.

The five members of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan who declared their candidacies after Kan's announcement planned to hold news conferences and debates Saturday and Sunday. Then, the party's 398 members of parliament were to vote Monday to choose the new party chief, who will almost certainly become prime minister because of the party's majority in the more powerful lower house.

Kan's successor will become Japan's sixth prime minister in five years, perpetuating the high turnover in political leadership even as the country grapples with a sluggish economy, an aging population and the enormous reconstruction effort after the country's triple disaster.

So far, candidates running for party chief have spelled out little about their vision for post-tsunami reconstruction or other serious issues, such as tackling the bulging national debt. Most of them also have not taken a clear stance on the future of atomic power despite growing public worries about meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.

In the murky world of faction-dominated Japanese politics, they seem more concerned about getting votes from fellow party members and shoring up their base of support, experts say.

"There's precious little on policy talk," said Koichi Nakano, a political science professor at Sophia University in Tokyo.

"One would expect them to" outline their platform on reconstruction and other issues, "but they're not, which is a strange and really disappointing," he said. "They are rather more concerned with political bickering inside the political quarters in Nagata-cho."

The extremely short campaign period -- just the weekend before Monday's vote -- also discourages substantive policy discussion, experts say.

The party leadership race could end up as a duel between the relatively young and telegenic Maehara, the former foreign minister, and Kaieda, the economy minister, who reportedly has the backing of party stalwart Ozawa.

A China hawk, Maehara, 49, gained prominence by taking a firm stand toward Beijing during a territorial spat last year over some disputed islands in the East China Sea. He is strongly pro-Washington and supports a close security alliance with the U.S.

"This is not just a party leadership election. We must deliver our message to the people," Maehara said Friday night.

Kaieda, a 62-year-old former TV commentator on economic matters, has long been a free-trade and tax-reform advocate. He has not pushed for a move away from nuclear power and has taken a cautious view on ensuring safety. But he has shown he can be tough, firing three officials in charge of nuclear safety, a move that could help appease the outrage among voters about regulators' cozy ties with the industry.

"I believe there is a role that only I can serve at a time when Japan faces a surging yen and prolonged economic slump," he said. "It's time for Japan to demonstrate its steady economic recovery."

Earlier this year, Kaieda burst into tears after being grilled in parliament by an opposition legislator who demanded he step down to take responsibility for the nuclear crisis. "Please endure this," Kaieda replied, choking up. After he got back to his chair, he wept openly.

Other candidates in the party leadership race include Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who has spent recent weeks contending with the yen's record appreciation that is hurting Japan's exporters, former Transport Minister Sumio Mabuchi and Farm Minister Michihiko Kano.

After Monday's party vote, the new Cabinet could be installed as early as Tuesday.

[Associated Press]

Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report.

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