Japan PM faces no-confidence vote

Naoto Kan is facing a rebellion by some of his own party members

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has rejected calls for his resignation, after opposition parties tabled a motion of no-confidence against him.

The motion criticises Mr Kan for his response to the tsunami in March and the continuing radiation leaks at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

If Mr Kan loses the vote of confidence, due shortly in parliament, he would be forced to resign or call an election.

Reports say key members of his Democratic Party may vote against him.

Mr Kan’s main rival within the party, Ichiro Ozawa, said he would support the move against the prime minister, as did former premier Yukio Hatoyama, Kyodo news reported.

The no-confidence motion was submitted by the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), their smaller ally the New Komeito party and the Sunrise Party, and is expected to be backed by the Communist Party.

The LDP has accused Mr Kan of mishandling the reconstruction and relief efforts following the tsunami, as well as the Fukushima nuclear crisis.

In parliament on Wednesday, LDP leader Sadakazu Tanigaki told Mr Kan: “You have no personal virtues or ability to unite your own party members. I’m telling you to quit.

“Once you leave, there will be many ways for us to unite, to revitalise Japan beyond party lines.”

The prime minister said he had no intention of stepping down.

“What is most sought by the people is for us to work together to achieve reconstruction and resolve the nuclear crisis, contain the contamination at the nuclear plant, and continue on a proper path,” Mr Kan said.

“I must respond to their needs and that is my responsibility,” he said.

Earlier this month, he announced that Japan will scrap plans to increase its dependence on nuclear power.

The UN team said that Japan underestimated the risk of a tsunami hitting a nuclear power plant

But the result of an opinion poll published on Wednesday suggests the public has a dim view of Mr Kan’s handling of the Fukushima disaster.

In a survey of 700 adults, 79% rated his management of the crisis as poor, according to the Pew Research Center.

On Wednesday, the UN nuclear energy agency the IAEA said Japan had “underestimated” the risk of a tsunami hitting a nuclear power plant.

But its response to the nuclear crisis that followed the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March was “exemplary”, the agency said.

The Fukushima Daiichi power plant, which was badly damaged by the tsunami, is still leaking radiation.

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