Japan PM front-runner says no date for general election Fri Sep 19, 12:45 AM ET

Taro Aso, a candidate of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader race and former foreign minister speaks before the press with other four candidates in Tokyo while former defence minister Shigeru Ishiba (L) looks on. Aso, the front-runner to become Japan's next prime minister, said unabashedly Friday he was a hawk.
(AFP/Yoshikazu Tsuno)


TOKYO (AFP) - Taro Aso, the front-runner to be Japan's next prime minister, said Friday that no date had been set for a general election amid reports it could come as soon as next month.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party votes Monday for a replacement for unpopular Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

The Asahi Shimbun and other newspapers said the ruling party hoped to call a general election on October 26 to seize on the initial popularity of the new prime minister.



"It almost sounds like the Asahi newspaper has the right to dismiss the parliament" for an election, Aso, an outspoken former foreign minister, told a debate with his rivals at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.

"I don't think anyone has talked about October 26 so ... if you report this to your head office, I feel you would be making a mistake," Aso said.

Japan's opposition has been hoping for a landmark election victory against the Liberal Democrats, who have been in power for all but 10 months since 1955.