Not only is the industry a prime candidatefor customer-help lines, but the Ministry of Health and Welfare is currently reviewing which drugs can be sold over the counter.
Oskar Lafontaine, the man he beat to become his party's candidatefor the chancellorship, remains powerful as party chairman, and also has an option on the finance ministry.
He recently told the press that Sakakibara Eisuke, former vice minister for international affairs at Japan's Ministry of Finance, would make a "splendid" candidate.