Archaic
08-19-2005, 07:00 AM
http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20050819p2a00m0na020000c.html
For those not aware, Livedoor is the #1 Japanese blogging website.
Livedoor Company President Takafumi Horie said on Friday that he would run in the upcoming House of Representatives election from Hiroshima Prefecture as an independent.
Whether Horie would throw his hat into the ring has been the talk of the town since it became known that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) planned to field him as an LDP-backed candidate.
But Horie said he would run as an independent, not on an LDP ticket, in the Sept. 11 poll when he talked with Koizumi at the LDP headquarters on Friday.
Horie said he would probably run from the Hiroshima No. 6 district as a rival candidate against former LDP policy chief Shizuka Kamei, who recently opposed Koizumi's postal privatization plan.
"I am in favor of privatizing the postal system. I want to run as an independent because I'll be running for the first time," Horie said, explaining why he didn't run with the LDP's backing.
Earlier, Horie had said the postal privatization program and other governmental reforms would be focal points in the election.
The LDP's leadership is seeking out candidates who will challenge the rebel LDP politicians who opposed Koizumi's postal privatization bills during a Lower House vote in July. (Mainichi)
For those not aware, Livedoor is the #1 Japanese blogging website.
Livedoor Company President Takafumi Horie said on Friday that he would run in the upcoming House of Representatives election from Hiroshima Prefecture as an independent.
Whether Horie would throw his hat into the ring has been the talk of the town since it became known that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) planned to field him as an LDP-backed candidate.
But Horie said he would run as an independent, not on an LDP ticket, in the Sept. 11 poll when he talked with Koizumi at the LDP headquarters on Friday.
Horie said he would probably run from the Hiroshima No. 6 district as a rival candidate against former LDP policy chief Shizuka Kamei, who recently opposed Koizumi's postal privatization plan.
"I am in favor of privatizing the postal system. I want to run as an independent because I'll be running for the first time," Horie said, explaining why he didn't run with the LDP's backing.
Earlier, Horie had said the postal privatization program and other governmental reforms would be focal points in the election.
The LDP's leadership is seeking out candidates who will challenge the rebel LDP politicians who opposed Koizumi's postal privatization bills during a Lower House vote in July. (Mainichi)