Fukui's successor.

• Position: OFF THE NEWS

Senior Bank of Japan watchers say that if Governor Toshihiko Fnkui has his way, the central bank will try to raise short-term interest rates by up to three times before he leaves office next spring. Not surprisingly, interest rate policy lies at the heart of the search for Mr. Fukui's successor.

Many senior Liberal Democratic Party politicians, including Shoichi Nakagawa who heads the LDP's Policy Council. are pushing hard for Heizo Takenaka, former Prime Minister Koizumi's all-purpose economic advisor. Takenaka is moving aggressively behind-the-scenes to get the.job, but it is not clear whether he is the LDP's candidate or just a temporary stick to influence BoJ policy. The view within the LDP is...