2005 Democratic Party of Japan leadership election
17 September 2005
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The 2005 Democratic Party of Japan leadership election was held on 17 September 2005. The election was held to replace outgoing president Katsuya Okada, who resigned following the party's losses at the 2005 Japanese general election. Seiji Maehara defeated former leader Naoto Kan by a margin of just two votes to become the new president.[1]
Candidates
| Candidate | Offices held | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Seiji Maehara (age 43) Kyoto Prefecture |
Member of the House of Representatives (1993–) | ||
| Naoto Kan (age 58) Tokyo |
Member of the House of Representatives (1980–) President of the Democratic Party of Japan (1996–99, 2002–04) Minister of Health and Welfare (1996) | ||
Contest
Initial speculated candidates included Ichirō Ozawa, Naoto Kan, and Yukio Hatoyama.[2] Maehara announced his candidacy on 14 September. Yoshihiko Noda was approached by supporters to run, but stated he was supporting Maehara.[3] Ozawa suggested he was open to running, but declined when nominations were taken on the 15th. At a party meeting on the 15th, some members favoured uniting around a single candidate, while others called for an open process with multiple contenders.[4]
Kan was viewed as the frontrunner with a strong base of support: he was supported by Hatoyama, Takahiro Yokomichi's faction, and close Ozawa aide Tatsuo Hirano.[5] Maehara ran as a reformer, supported by junior legislators, and pledged to appoint personnel on the basis of merit instead of seniority or factional balance. Commentators suggested that his pitch for renewal and reform won over undecided legislators.[1][4] In 2015, journalist Akiko Azumi stated that Maehara's emotional final pitch, in which he spoke of his late father who died by suicide during his childhood, was the deciding factor.[5]
Results
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seiji Maehara | 96 | 50.5 | |
| Naoto Kan | 94 | 49.5 | |
| Total | 190 | 100.00 | |
| Invalid | 2 | ||
| Turnout | 192 | 99.0 | |
| Eligible | 194 | ||
| Source: DPJ Archive | |||
References
- ^ a b "DPJ picks Maehara for top spot". The Japan Times. 18 September 2005. Archived from the original on 8 January 2019.
- ^ Kajimoto, Tetsushi (13 September 2005). "Ailing DPJ prepares to pick new boss". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 8 January 2019.
- ^ "Maehara steps forward to run for leadership of DPJ". The Japan Times. 15 September 2005.
- ^ a b Kajimoto, Tetsushi (16 September 2005). "Ozawa might throw hat into ring for DPJ chief". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 8 January 2019.
- ^ a b "The Democratic Party's mudslinging between Okada and Hosono has begun. Latecomer Okada attacks Hosono". Toyo Keizai (in Japanese). 9 January 2015.