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Japan’s largest opposition party chief quits

TOKYO: Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa on Monday expressed his intention to step down as party head to take responsibility for the political funds scandal involving Nishimatsu Construction Co., party sources said.Ozawa reportedly conveyed his intention to DPJ executives, according to the sources.He said he decided to step down because of his strong desire that the DPJ win the next House of Representatives election.Ozawa was to hold a press conference in the evening.Party Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama and Vice President Katsuya Okada are considered strong candidates to succeed Ozawa.Ozawa's state-funded secretary has been indicted over illegal political donations from Nishimatsu, a second-tier construction firm.Though Ozawa has insisted that he did not know the money was donated by Nishimatsu, he is believed to have decided to resign as party head in the face of strong public criticism.As for Ozawa's successor, some are calling for holding a party election, while others prefer choosing his successor through intraparty discussions.After Ozawa took the helm of the DPJ in April 2006, the party won the House of Councillors election in July 2007 by a landslide.Though he explored the possibility of forming a grand coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party in talks with then Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda in November 2007, the attempt failed due to strong opposition within the party.

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