Mexico seeks Japan's support for IMF chief candidate

TOKYO (Kyodo) - Mexico sought Japan's support Wednesday for the nation's candidate for the top job at the International Monetary Fund to succeed Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who resigned after being charged with sexual assault in New York in May, Japanese officials said.
Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa telephoned her Japanese counterpart Takeaki Matsumoto in the morning to seek Tokyo's backing for Augustin Carstens, governor of the Bank of Mexico, in the race to pick the next IMF managing director, the officials said.
French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde has announced her bid to succeed her compatriot as head of the IMF and she is seen as the front-runner with support from major European countries such as Britain and Germany.
The fund aims to complete the selection process by the end of June.