Japanese PM faces revolt from 16 party members
Source: Agencies |
February 18, 2011, Friday
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JAPAN'S Prime Minister Naoto Kan faced a revolt yesterday from 16 of his own party members, deepening party infighting and potentially blocking key legislation.
The development doesn't immediately threaten the Democratic Party of Japan's grip on power, but it is yet another distraction at a time when Japan is wrestling with serious problems, from a stagnant economy and an aging, shrinking population to a ballooning national debt.
The rebellious group stopped short of withdrawing from the Democrats, but said they were pulling out of a broader group that includes some smaller groups and independents sympathetic to the ruling party.
So while the development doesn't affect the Democrats' seats in parliament, where it has 307 of 477 seats in the more powerful lower house, it means the rebels could oppose legislation the government seeks to pass, such as the budget - creating further headaches for Kan.
"We cannot put up with Kan's government that has gone so far from our earlier goals," said Koichiro Watanabe, one of the 16 rebels. "The Kan government is no longer credible."
The break partly reflects divided loyalties within the Democratic party. Watanabe and his cohorts support a key party veteran, Ichiro Ozawa, who was indicted last month in a political funding scandal. The party has been divided over what to do with Ozawa, and party executives this week suspended his party membership as a penalty.
Ozawa, credited with engineering the Democrats' rise to power two years ago, challenged Kan for the leadership post last year. He denied violating political funding laws relating to a 2004 Tokyo land deal.
"It's beyond my understanding," Kan said of the rebellion.
Party Secretary General Katsuya Okada called the revolt "a meaningless performance," apparently trying to contain its impact.
Still, some party members have been unhappy with Kan since the DPJ lost the upper house in last July's election.
The development doesn't immediately threaten the Democratic Party of Japan's grip on power, but it is yet another distraction at a time when Japan is wrestling with serious problems, from a stagnant economy and an aging, shrinking population to a ballooning national debt.
The rebellious group stopped short of withdrawing from the Democrats, but said they were pulling out of a broader group that includes some smaller groups and independents sympathetic to the ruling party.
So while the development doesn't affect the Democrats' seats in parliament, where it has 307 of 477 seats in the more powerful lower house, it means the rebels could oppose legislation the government seeks to pass, such as the budget - creating further headaches for Kan.
"We cannot put up with Kan's government that has gone so far from our earlier goals," said Koichiro Watanabe, one of the 16 rebels. "The Kan government is no longer credible."
The break partly reflects divided loyalties within the Democratic party. Watanabe and his cohorts support a key party veteran, Ichiro Ozawa, who was indicted last month in a political funding scandal. The party has been divided over what to do with Ozawa, and party executives this week suspended his party membership as a penalty.
Ozawa, credited with engineering the Democrats' rise to power two years ago, challenged Kan for the leadership post last year. He denied violating political funding laws relating to a 2004 Tokyo land deal.
"It's beyond my understanding," Kan said of the rebellion.
Party Secretary General Katsuya Okada called the revolt "a meaningless performance," apparently trying to contain its impact.
Still, some party members have been unhappy with Kan since the DPJ lost the upper house in last July's election.
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