Japan's Kaieda ahead in PM race

TOKYO / BEIJING - Japanese Trade Minister Banri Kaieda has the lead in a ruling party race to pick Japan's next prime minister, but a bruising run-off looks likely as his chances winning an outright majority in a first-round vote look dim, media surveys showed on Sunday.

The 62-year-old Kaieda, who has secured powerbroker Ichiro Ozawa's backing, had support from about 115 of the 398 Democratic lawmakers eligible to vote in Monday's party election, a survey by the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper showed.

Seiji Maehara, 49, who says beating deflation is a top priority, was jostling with fiscal hawk Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda, 54, and Farm Minister Michihiko Kano, 69, for second place, Mainichi Shimbun reported.