Kaieda, Noda playing off for Japan ruling party leader
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Xinhua, August 29, 2011
A runoff has been kicked off between Japan's industry minister Banri Kaieda and finance minister Yoshihiko Noda in the presidential election of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) on Monday.
Kaieda led the first round of competition with 143 votes, while Noda came in second with 102 votes.
Kaieda, Noda and former foreign minister Seiji Maehara, agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister Michihiko Kano, and transport minister Sumio Mabuchi, are among the five candidates vying for the top post to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Naoto Kan.
Kan resigned Friday as the head of the party after the passage of two bills. Kan said he would resign as Japan's prime minister after the next chief of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) was elected.
A total of 398 DPJ lawmakers voted in the first round after the final presentations by the candidates starting from 11 a.m., but the candidate must garner a 200-vote majority for a victory.
The winner of the runoff on Monday will become the sixth prime minister in five years.
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