Tokyo hunt for leader

Press, 31 October 1979, Page 8

Tokyo hunt for leader

NZPA-Reuter Tokyo The Japanese Cabinet has resigned, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party still undecided on who should succeed ; the Prime Minister (Mr Masayoshi Ohira) at a special session of Parliament ; scheduled to begin within a few hours. The 18-day Parliamentary session will nominate a new Prime Minister who will form a Cabinet under article 54 of the constitution which says that Parliament must be convoked within 30 days of the General Election, on October 7. . Although the Liberal; Democratic Party, with 258 [of the 511 seats in the I Lower House of Representa- , fives, will form the Government, it remained up in the • air who would form the new Administration. o Mr Ohira has admitted responsibility for the party’s [set-backs in the election — lit aimed for 271 seats, got [248. and added 10 con-; [lservative Independents to; ‘[give it a majority of three. [But he should not have to [give up the reins of power. Three other leaders of the , party, Mr Takeo Fukuda. Mr Takeo Miki. and Mr Yasuhiro Nakasone. have persisted in calling for Mr; [ Ohira’s resignation for leading the L.D.P. into electoral embarrassment. The three men met in an l emergency session to decide their final stand before the opening of Parliament today. They emerged unchanged

in their opinion calling again for the 69-x ear-old Prime Minister to step down as head of the party and Head of Government. Before they met. Mr Ohira said he would abide by the decision of Mr Eiichi Nishimura, vice-president of the L.D.P.. who has been acting a-> mediator between the Prime Minister and his three critics, each of whom leads powerful factions within the party. But the three refused to agree to abide by any deci- . sion proposed b\ Mr Nishimura to heal the split in the party. Political sources said this was because the critics felt that this would result in Mr Ohira staying in power, seeing that Mr Nishimura is a close associate of another faction leader, .Mr Kakuei Tanaka, who is a political ally of the outgoing Prime Minister. Under article 71 of the constiution the present Cabinet will continue to function until a new Prime Minister [is elected and a new Cabinet formed Mr Nishimura will continue to try to bring the faction leaders of the party together so that a new Prime Minister can be named by [Parliament. “I would like him (Mr Nishimura) to continue his 1 efforts, although it is a ter. I ribly difficult question,” Mr Ohira told reporters. The three men calling for his resignation made similar remarks.