Monday, September 8, 2008 - 07:00
AFP News Briefs ListKoike launches bid to be Japan's first female PM
Yuriko Koike, a former television anchorwoman and defence minister, announced a bid on Monday to become Japan's first female prime minister.
Koike, 56, told a news conference she had secured the required 20 signatures from senior members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to run in the September 22 vote to succeed Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.
Koike is the first woman ever to run in the top leadership election of the LDP, which has been in power for all but 10 months since 1955, a party official said.
Images
Former Japanese defence minister Yuriko Koike in Tokyo on October 31. The ex-television anchorwoman, has announced a bid to become Japan's first female prime minister.
© 2007 AFP Toru Yamanaka
