Japan could soon have its third Prime Minister in a year as the governing Democratic Party, also known as DPJ, votes today for the leadership of the ruling party. Prime Minister Naoto Kan, a former grass-roots activist in office just three months, faces a contest for the party leadership from Ichiro Ozawa, a political heavyweight known for backroom political deals. The party leader typically becomes the prime minister, because the Democratic Party of Japan, also known as the DPJ, has the majority in Japan's parliament. If Naoto Kan can't keep his three-month job as the party leader, the country will likely have its third prime minister this year.The two men worked together to bring the DPJ into power more than a year ago, booting out the Liberal Democratic Party, which had ruled Japan continuously for almost 50 years. A political funding scandal forced Ozawa to resign as party leader late last year, and Kan publicly distanced himself from his ally.