Japan's ruling party on Wednesday pushed through a proposal to extend the current parliamentary session until the end of August, giving members time to pass key legislation before the expected resignation of Prime Minister Naoto Kan.
Mr. Kan has still not set a date for his departure, which he announced at a party meeting early this month. But Japanese media quote Democratic Party of Japan officials as saying the prime minister wants to remain in office to see through a second auxiliary budget covering earthquake reconstruction costs and related legislation.
The Democrat Party could pass the extension because it controls the more powerful lower house of parliament. However, the opposition has a majority in the upper house and can block legislation.
Many opposition politicians, and some members of Mr. Kan's party and the ruling coalition, are deeply unhappy that he remains in office. And there is strong opposition to parts of the Democrat's budget plans.
The government also plans a third extra budget, which would be larger than the previous two, to cover costs related to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Press reports say details of that budget are not likely to be worked out until after Mr. Kan's resignation.
Mr. Kan, who is Japan's fifth prime minister in as many years, is suffering from very low approval ratings over his handling of earthquake relief efforts and the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant.
His promise to resign came just hours before a no-confidence vote in parliament, in which many members of his own party had said they would vote with the opposition to force him from office.
Posted in East Asia Pacific
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