Ishii Named Komeito Head in 1st Leadership Change in 15 Yrs

Tokyo, Sept. 28 (Jiji Press)--Komeito, the junior coalition partner of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, formally elected party Secretary-General Keiichi Ishii, 66, as its new leader at a party convention on Saturday, the first change of its leadership in 15 years.

The change came as the term of the previous leader, Natsuo Yamaguchi, 72, expired the same day and he did not seek re-election. Ishii was the only contender to succeed Yamaguchi.

Komeito also named its election strategy chief Makoto Nishida, 62, as its new secretary-general, and former State Minister of Finance Mitsunari Okamoto, 59, as its new policy affairs chief.

The party picked Nobuhiro Miura, 49, a lawmaker of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, as its election strategy chief, and former State Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Hidemichi Sato, 64, as its Diet affairs head.

"We will decisively win (upcoming) elections and build an unshakable foundation for the party in the new era," Ishii said at the convention.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]