Japanese PM fends off leadership challenge

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Akbar Majid

14 September, 2010

Despite the challenges posed by his opponents, Kan managed to get the support of majority of his party, but this win clearly showed the deep divisions over the economic policy to be followed in the country.

JAPANESE PRIME Minister, Naoto Kan fended off the challenge to his leadership and secured overwhelming support of Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), three months after taking up he top post. Despite the challenges posed by his opponents, Kan managed to get the support of majority of his party, but this win clearly showed the deep divisions over the economic policy to be followed in the country.

Three months ago, Kan had become the Prime Minister after Yukio Hatoyama resigned from the top post after serious differences emerged over key policy decisions. In the current vote, the PM managed to beat party leader Ichiro Ozawa by a margin of 721 to 491 votes in a polling system that involved the party MPs as well as the rank and file of DPJ.

Had Ozawa been able to win the vote, he would have become the Prime Miniser by virtue of being the leader of largest party in the lower house. In his appeal to the DPJ, Kan asked the party members to unite behind him so that he was able to meet the key economic challenges faced by the nation. He said that there was need of rebuilding Japan to make it healthy and hand it over to next generation.

Pertinent to mention here that Kan has been approved by voters in opinion polls as compared Ozawa, who is considered to be close to Hatoyama. The vote in the party also made it clear that there were deep division on policy issues with regard to handling of Japanese economy.