RULING LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY FACTION LEADERS HASHIMOTO AND KOIZUMI ARE SEEN IN THIS COMBINATION ...,...

RULING LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY FACTION LEADERS HASHIMOTO AND KOIZUMI ARE SEEN IN THIS COMBINATION PHOTOGRAPH IN TOKYO. The two top faction leaders in Japan's long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party, seen in this combination photograph, seemed set on Monday to join battle this week when the party formally kicks off the race to elect a new president, who would likely become the next premier. Analysts said both former prime minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, expected to run with the backing of the LDP's largest internal bloc, and the number two LDP faction's Junichiro Koizumi would try to stress their reformist credentials in the April 24 poll. Hashimoto (R) is seen at a gathering of his faction in an April 5, 2001 file photo, and Koizumi is seen at a faction meeting April 9, 2001.