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Livedoor's Horie Hoping to Run in Election in Hiroshima: Koizumi

Posted on: Thursday, 18 August 2005, 12:00 CDT

Aug. 18--TOKYO -- Livedoor Co. President Takafumi Horie has told the ruling Liberal Democratic Party that he hopes to run in the upcoming election in a constituency in Hiroshima Prefecture, Prime Minister and LDP President Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday.

Koizumi told reporters he heard of Horie's intention from LDP Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe earlier Thursday when asked if Horie would challenge Shizuka Kamei, a stern critic of Koizumi who left the LDP to form a new party Wednesday.

Asked whether Horie wants to run in Kamei's Hiroshima No. 6 constituency, Koizumi said he has no idea as he has had no direct contact with the 32-year-old Internet entrepreneur.

But the premier added that whether and how Horie will run in the Sept. 11 general election for the House of Representatives has yet to be decided.

Horie, who has said he may run at the request of the LDP, said earlier Thursday, "It's still up in the air" whether he will run.

"I will make an announcement once it's decided," Horie told reporters in Tokyo.

He drew public attention earlier this year when his Net business Livedoor attempted to advance into professional baseball business and also take over Nippon Broadcasting System Inc.

The LDP has been sounding out a wide array of personalities to run in the election, particularly as alternative candidates against rebel party members who voted against Koizumi's key bills to privatize Japan Post.

Among the 37 lower house LDP members who cast dissenting votes last month, Kamei and his two colleagues left the LDP and launched the new Kokumin Shinto party on Wednesday in an attempt to counter Koizumi's drive to purge them through the poll.

If Horie runs as an LDP candidate in the Hiroshima No. 6 district, he could be a powerful rival to Kamei.

Horie and Koizumi both denied having a schedule to meet with each other for now.

Horie also denied he had a meeting with Katsuya Okada, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, on Tuesday night, although Okada said they met that night at Horie's request.

Okada said in a news conference Wednesday they had a meeting but he did not ask the entrepreneur to run in the election on the DPJ ticket as there is a wide gap between them in terms of political beliefs.

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Source: Kyodo News International, Tokyo

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