(Adds details)
TOKYO, June 2 (Reuters) - Japan's finance minister is likely to skip the June 4-5 meeting of Group of 20 financial leaders in Busan, South Korea, a ministry official said, following the resignation of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Wednesday.
Finance Minister Naoto Kan is viewed by many in the markets as frontrunner to succeed Hatoyama, who quit to try to boost the ruling party's prospects in an election expected next month, less than a year after sweeping to power with promises of change.
"Considering the schedule, it may be difficult," Parliamentary Secretary of Finance Hiroshi Ogushi told reporters, when asked whether Kan would attend the weekend meeting as initially planned.
Another official said the ministry will decide on Thursday who will attend on behalf of the finance minister.
Kan is likely to run in a Democratic Party vote to become its leader after Hatoyama resigned, broadcaster NTV reported on Wednesday.
The next Democratic Party leader will be the new prime minister by virtue of the party's majority in parliament's powerful lower house.
Finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 wealthy and developing economies gather in South Korea this week to grapple with Europe's debt crisis, financial reforms and efforts to rebalance the global economy.
The weekend meeting in the port city of Busan will prepare a summit of G20 leaders in Toronto on June 26-27. (Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto; Editing by Chris Gallagher)