New P.M. in Tokyo

Press, 29 November 1978, Page 8

New P.M. in Tokyo

NZPA-Reuter Tokyo Japan’s next Prime Minister, Mr Masayoshi Ohira, will today begin talks the formation of his Cabinet with other leaders of the country’s ruling Liberal ! Democratic Party. ; Mr Ohira, who on Monday (snatched an upset victory (from the incumbent Mr (Takeo Fukuda, in a party | election, met well-wishers (yesterday after appearing before photographers in the igarden of his Tokyo home dressed in a black kimono | and traditional geta wooden [dogs. i Later in the day he was. (scheduled to begin talks i with leaders of the main

factions within the party to discuss who should get what post in his Cabinet. Mr Fukuda met with his faction early in the day, and later said that he would cooperate with Mr Ohira in forming an Administration. Other main factions in the party — one led by Mr Yasuhiro Nakasone. also a defeated candidate in the party poll, and the other by a former Prime Minister, Mr Takeo Miki — were meeting during the day before discussions with Mr Ohira. Mr Ohira heads another faction within the party and he is closely supported by .another one led by a former Prime Minister, Mr Kakuei Tanaka.

Mr Ohira ran away with a primary election called to pick a president of the party. who automatically becomes Prime Minister because of the L.D.P’s Parliamentary majority. Although Mr Fukuda had expected to walk away with the primary, he trailed behind so far in second place that he announced he was dropping out of the race. Mt Ohira will be declared president of the party at a meeting of L.D.P. ~ Parliamentarians on Friday, and a special session of Parliament to be called next week will declare him Prime Minister.