小渕恵三
The LDP under Ryūtarō Hashimoto had restored single-party government in 1996 and was now aiming to also regain clear control of the House of Councillors where it was several seats short of a majority. Instead, it lost 13 seats in the election giving the opposition clear control. Prime minister Hashimoto resigned. Keizō Obuchi was elected LDP president on July 24, defeating Seiroku Kajiyama and Junichirō Koizumi.