TOMAKOMAI, Hokkaido (Kyodo) Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama clearly stated Saturday he intends to continue his political career, publicly retracting his plan to retire when his current term ends.
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"I'd like to act together with you in the campaign for the next Lower House election so that I will be able to remain committed to a politics beneficial to the national interest," Hatoyama said at a meeting of his supporters in Tomakomai, a city in his Hokkaido district.
"I thought I would have to seriously rethink (retiring) for the sake of the development of regional communities after getting encouragement from every one of the people who support me," he added.
Hatoyama, 63, became prime minister after the Democratic Party of Japan took power following its landslide victory in the August 2009 general election but stepped down in June over his broken campaign promise to relocate the U.S. Futenma airfield outside Okinawa Prefecture.
When he announced his resignation, Hatoyama said he would not run in the next general election. In October, however, he said was "inclined to continue serving" in the Diet, apparently after being persuaded by supporters to stay in politics.
Hatoyama has told people close to him that his change of mind stemmed from his concern about a growing power struggle within the DPJ over the leadership of Prime Minister Naoto Kan and how to handle a money scandal linked to party heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa.
However, party insiders say Hatoyama might be attempting to return to the frontline in the political arena at a time when the DPJ is in turmoil and speculation has emerged that it could split.
Hatoyama's latest decision is expected to stir criticism, particularly from the opposition camp. When the DPJ was in opposition, Hatoyama scolded former prime ministers from the rival Liberal Democratic Party for engaging in backroom politics after stepping down from the top post.
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