September 1999 Democratic Party of Japan leadership election

Kan had led the Democratic Party since its foundation in 1996, initially alongside Yukio Hatoyama, then alone from 1997. During 1998, he had overseen the merger with other opposition parties which established the party as the second-largest in the country, and wrested control of the House of Councillors from the Liberal Democratic government in the 1998 election. However, this was undercut the following January when the LDP formed a coalition with the Komeito and Liberal parties, allowing them to dominate that year's Diet session and sideline the DPJ. Kan's leadership came under question due to this, dissatisfaction with his decision making, and internal disunity.^[1][2] On 24 August, Kan announced that he would seek re-election as leader; Hatoyama declared his own candidacy two days later.^[3]

Kan faced difficulties securing the twenty nominations required to run; he pledged to change his leadership style if re-elected.^[2] Hatoyama stated he would "raise a flag of new liberalism against growing conservatism" and reform the party's leadership structure.^[3] The three candidates spoke at fourteen cities over two weeks in the leadup to the election, finishing in Tokyo.

The party's 146 Diet members were eligible to vote in the election, as well as 81 approved candidates for the next election, and 94 representatives of DPJ prefectural chapters. Within the party, Kan was considered a "middle of the road" liberal democrat, while Hatoyama was considered more conservative. The Japan Times reported that Hatoyama was close to majority support within the party, but that most of Yokomichi's supporters would favour Kan in a runoff ballot.^[4]