Japan Red Cross chief seeks top IFRC slot

Hideki Hiramoto / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

GENEVA--Japanese Red Cross Society President Tadateru Konoe has filed his candidacy for the upcoming election for the next president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

Konoe is bidding to become the first IFRC president from Asia.

Konoe's only challenger in the Nov. 19 vote is Mario Villarroel Lander from Venezuela. Lander, 62, served as IFRC president from 1987 to 1997.

Diplomatic sources in Geneva suggest Konoe, 70, has his nose in front in the race thanks to wide support from African countries.

The Geneva-based IFRC--the world's largest humanitarian network of red cross organizations and red crescent societies--provides relief to disaster victims. Founded in 1919, it has 186 member countries and territories.

A graduate of Gakushuin University, Konoe assumed the post of Japanese Red Cross Society president in April 2005 and has served as IFRC vice president since November that year.

Konoe is the younger brother of former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa.

The IFRC president's term runs for four years from Nov. 20.