TOKYO -- The ruling party election likely to choose Japan's next prime minister is shaping up to be a three-way race among former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and Sanae Takaichi, minister in charge of economic security.

One of the leading candidates to become Japan’s next prime minister said it was too soon for the Bank of Japan to move away from an ultra-easy policy, as the nine lawmakers set to contest this month’s ruling party election sparred during a press conference on Saturday.

TOKYO: One of the leading candidates to become Japan’s next prime minister says it is too soon for the Bank of Japan (BoJ) to move away from an ultra-easy policy, as the nine lawmakers set to contest this month’s ruling party election sparred during a press conference.

Sanae Takaichi, Japan's minister in charge of economic security and a leading candidate in the ruling party's leadership race, said on Saturday the central bank should maintain ultra-low interest rates to support the fragile economic recovery.