Japan's PM Survives No-confidence Vote

TOKYO (June 2 2011) (Xinhua) – A no-confidence motion against Japan' s embattled Prime Minister Naoto Kan was rejected by the lower house Thursday, allowing some time for Kan's cabinet to proceed with handling the Fukushima nuclear crisis and post-quake work.

A total of 293 cabinet members voted against the motion, compared with 152 who voted for it.

Before the vote began in the afternoon, Kan told a meeting of his ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) he will step down after making some achievements in post-quake recovery and settling down the Fukushima nuclear crisis.

"Once the post-quake reconstruction efforts achieves some settlement, I will pass on my responsibility to younger generations," he said. "The nuclear crisis is ongoing, and I will make my utmost efforts to end the crisis and move forward with post-quake reconstruction works."

Japan's opposition parties submitted the no-confidence motion against Kan Wednesday, in a bid to bring down the Prime Minister due to his unsatisfactory handling of post-quake crisis.

The DPJ and its coalition parties control the more powerful lower house. A total of 82 votes from the ruling camp on top of opposition votes would win the no-confidence motion in the 480- seat house.

Dozens of lawmakers of the former DPJ kingpin Ichiro Ozawa, a rival of Kan, had vowed to vote in favor of the motion. Some junior cabinet members from the DPJ resigned Wednesday so they could support the opposition move.

However, after Kan vowed to step down after basically settling the crisis, many decided to vote against the motion and give Kan some extra time.

Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who leads a major group in the ruling party, told his followers he agreed with Kan's plan to step down after the outlook for an extra budget to fund rebuilding quake-hit areas was clear, in contrast to what he has said Wednesday that he would vote for the motion.

Even Ozawa abstained from casting a vote, while scores of lawmakers loyal to him also either failed to cast a ballot or supported the premier at a time when the country is trying to recover from the worst disasters in decades.

Kan became prime minister just one year ago. He already is Japan's fifth leader in four years.