Surveys show Japan's election race tightening

Pundits don't expect LDP to secure a majority

Ichiro Ozawa, former leader of the Democratic Party of Japan and party defector, sent Yukiko Miyake to Chiba's fourth district to challenge Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda for a seat in the Dec 16 House of Representatives election.

If Miyake beats Noda, he will become the first Japanese prime minister who is not a lawmaker.