Japanese seek a kingmaker

(First Edition)

TOKYO (Reuter) - Would-be leaders of the dominant faction in Japan's ruling party met again behind closed doors yesterday to choose a successor to Shin Kanemaru, the fallen 'kingmaker' of Japanese politics, and the faction's chairman.

Rivals merely agreed that the deadline for the selection would be tomorrow. The daily Asahi Shimbun said that the faction squabble smacked of a gangland war and that Japanese were fed up with it. The Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled Japan since 1955, is a coalition of five factions.