The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People and others involved decided Tuesday to hold an election for the leader of a new merged party on Sept. 10, with campaigning to start Monday.
The name of the new party will also be decided on Sept. 10.
The new party will hold its inaugural meeting Sept. 15, one day ahead of schedule, because an extraordinary Diet session to vote on a new prime minister is expected to be convened Sept. 16.
Secretary generals and other executives of the two parties and two independent lawmaker groups met in the Diet to discuss the election plan Tuesday. Voting rights for the election will be given to lawmakers who apply to join the new party by Thursday.
Lower house member Banri Kaieda of the CDPJ, who was selected the chairman of the new party's election administration committee, told reporters that he hopes to hold candidate debates during the campaign.
CDPJ Secretary General Tetsuro Fukuyama added, "I want to make it a party leader election that can be thought of as a start for competing for power in the next lower house election."
CDPJ leader Yukio Edano is expected to announce his candidacy as soon as Friday.
DPFP Secretary General Hirofumi Hirano and other party members are aiming to field DPFP policy research council chairman Kenta Izumi.
Some younger lawmakers of the two parties are also seeking to field candidates.
Lower house member Ichiro Ozawa of the DPFP revealed Tuesday his position of supporting Edano and that he is trying to persuade Hirano to give up fielding Izumi.
"With the possibility of dissolving the lower house for a general election looming, it is undesirable to hold a party leader election," Ozawa said.
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