Asia-Pacific

Japan coalition partner tells PM to quit

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-06-02 11:07

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan attends a meeting with junior and mid-level lawmakers at the parliament in Tokyo June 1, 2011. Kan faces a rebellion in his party, media said on Wednesday, that while not enough to unseat him in a no-confidence motion will weaken his struggle to cope with the world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years.[Photo/Agencies]

TOKYO -- The head of the coalition partner of Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan told the premier on Thursday that the unpopular premier, who faces a no-confidence motion later in the day, should resign after extending the parliament session.

"I told him that I want him to resign after taking care of the issue of the nuclear power plant crisis, reconstruction from the natural disaster and extending the parliament session," Shizuka Kamei, the head of the People's New Party, told reporters.

The lower house will vote on a no-confidence motion against Kan, Japan's fifth prime minister in five years, later on Thursday.

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Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan (C) shakes hands with a lawmaker during a meeting with members of his ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in Tokyo June 2, 2011. Kan said on Thursday that he would step down after handling issues related to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent nuclear crisis.[Photo/Agencies]