| 1 | The writer is executive director of the Asia-Europe Foundation in Singapore. | |
| 2 | But analysts believe that the Democratic Party Secretary General Katsuya Okada, the new Foreign Minister is also a "candidate" one. | |
| 3 | Fukuda reshuffled his Cabinet last month to install Aso in the No. 2 spot as the secretary general of Liberal Democratic Party. | |
| 4 | Mr. Azumi is also considered an ally of outgoing Democratic Party of Japan Secretary-General Katsuya Okada, whose name had been mentioned for the finance minister post. | |
| 5 | Yukio Hatoyama, the DPJ' s secretary-general, promises "all-out war", expecting to bring down the government by year-end. |