Kan keen to remain in power despite falling public support+

TOKYO, Feb. 21 Kyodo -
Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Monday he has a keen desire to remain in power to
help Japan's economic recovery gather momentum and push through social security
reforms, resisting mounting pressure to quit in the face of declining public
support.
''I'd like to work hard until the last minute'' by recognizing tax and social
security reforms ''as a historical mission of the government at this time,''
Kan, whose Cabinet's public support has slipped below 20 percent, told a Diet
session.
Kan said he remained committed to creating a detailed plan for the reforms by
June as the issue of how to overhaul the country's tax and social security
systems in an integrated manner cannot be avoided by any government amid the
rapidly aging population.
Already Japan's fifth leader since 2006, Kan called for cross-party talks on
the reforms, saying all parliamentarians should work for the benefit of
people's lives instead of engaging in power struggles.
Kan also called for cooperation to pass the budget and related bills for the
year starting April.
''With the enactment and implementation of the budget, the economy will be put
on a full-scale growth path,'' Kan told the House of Representatives Budget
Committee.
After 16 lawmakers in Kan's Democratic Party of Japan launched a revolt last
week, the likelihood that the government will fail to pass bills necessary to
implement the fiscal 2011 budget has become greater.
Kan has come under growing pressure even from within his own party to quit in
exchange for helping the government to break the political deadlock amid
opposition control of the House of Councillors.
The Liberal Democratic Party and other opposition parties are poised to block
almost all budget-related bills, including one to enable the government to
issue deficit-covering bonds.
The DPJ-led government lacks the two-thirds majority in the lower house
required to override an upper house veto. The situation has become more
difficult as the 16 DPJ lower house members, who are critical of Kan's
leadership, threatened last Thursday to leave the party's parliamentary group
and vote against the bills.
Attention is now focused on whether the 16 lawmakers will support the budget
plan when it is put to a vote in the lower house, possibly next week.
The budget plan itself, unlike its related bills, can be approved by a majority
in the lower house. But if the 16 vote against the plan, they would also likely
vote against the bills.
The 16 are affiliated with Ichiro Ozawa, a former DPJ leader known as a
longtime power broker in Japanese politics. The revolt took place after the DPJ
leadership proposed last week that Ozawa's party membership be suspended due to
a political funds scandal, for which he has been indicted.
DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada told a news conference that the party has
no plans to allow the lawmakers to leave its sole group in the lower house and
act against the party line.
Okada said the DPJ will persuade them to rethink their latest actions, adding
that it needs to be remembered that Kan was elected as DPJ leader last
September by all members of the party.
''I have to say that the state of confusion (within the party) is undermining
the trust of the public,'' Okada said.
On the handling of Ozawa's fate, Kan told the committee Monday that the DPJ
will reach a conclusion by the end of this month.
Ozawa, who has denied any wrongdoing, is scheduled to attend the DPJ's ethics
panel Tuesday to explain his stance on the matter. The DPJ could finalize the
suspension of his party membership in the afternoon.
The DPJ, which swept to power in 2009, appears fragile ahead of nationwide
local elections in April. Kan said, ''I fully realize that (DPJ candidates) are
facing tough campaigns.''
==Kyodo