Sunday, February 20, 2011

NEWS : Nearly Half of Poll Respondents Call for Japan PM to Resign

A Japanese newspaper poll showed Monday that nearly half of the respondents want the resignation of Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan.
The results of theAsahi daily survey show that 49 percent of the respondents want Mr. Kan to step down immediately.
Support for the government led by the Democratic Party of Japan came in at 20 percent.
Another poll by the Mainichi newspaper showed that support for the Kan government has fallen to an all-time low of 19 percent.
Japanese voters have grown increasingly frustrated with the way Mr. Kan's government has handled the economy. Some also criticize the feuding within the party regarding how to handle former party chief Ichiro Ozawa who is embroiled in a political funds scandal.
The bickering has hampered action on the prime minister plan for reducing the ballooning public debt, including passage of tax and social security revisions and budget-related bills in the lower house of parliament.
Japanese news commentaries say Mr. Kan has hinted he may decide to dissolve the house of representatives and call an early election.
The Yomiuri daily said Monday the prime minister's reference to a possible dissolution is viewed as a way to check moves within his Democratic Party of Japan to unseat him as prime minister.