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Japanese minister urged to stay | Japanese minister urged to stay |
(17 minutes later) | |
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has said he does not want his finance minister, Hirohisa Fujii, to resign. | Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has said he does not want his finance minister, Hirohisa Fujii, to resign. |
Earlier reports suggested Mr Fujii's resignation had been accepted. | Earlier reports suggested Mr Fujii's resignation had been accepted. |
Mr Fujii, 77, is an experienced backer of fiscal discipline. It would be a blow to Mr Hatoyama, who took office in September, if he left, analysts say. | Mr Fujii, 77, is an experienced backer of fiscal discipline. It would be a blow to Mr Hatoyama, who took office in September, if he left, analysts say. |
The prime minister has promised to shift Japan to the left after half a century of conservative dominance by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). | The prime minister has promised to shift Japan to the left after half a century of conservative dominance by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). |
Mr Fujii, who is suffering from high blood pressure, was admitted to hospital last week for tests. | Mr Fujii, who is suffering from high blood pressure, was admitted to hospital last week for tests. |
He is one of only a few members of the new government with extensive previous experience of administration. | He is one of only a few members of the new government with extensive previous experience of administration. |
He has been seen as a champion of fiscal restraint, resisting calls from the ruling Democratic Party's (DPJ) coalition partners for more spending despite Japan's huge debt, the BBC's Roland Buerk reports from Tokyo. | He has been seen as a champion of fiscal restraint, resisting calls from the ruling Democratic Party's (DPJ) coalition partners for more spending despite Japan's huge debt, the BBC's Roland Buerk reports from Tokyo. |
The prime minister is already getting a reputation for being indecisive, and is struggling to revive Japan's frail economy and tackle the vast public debt, our correspondent says. | The prime minister is already getting a reputation for being indecisive, and is struggling to revive Japan's frail economy and tackle the vast public debt, our correspondent says. |
Mr Fujii had told reporters he was exhausted after weeks of wrangling within Japan's governing coalition to finalise the budget. | Mr Fujii had told reporters he was exhausted after weeks of wrangling within Japan's governing coalition to finalise the budget. |
He was reported to have offered his resignation after a cabinet meeting he had left hospital to attend. | He was reported to have offered his resignation after a cabinet meeting he had left hospital to attend. |
Some reports said the government had accepted Mr Fujii's resignation. | Some reports said the government had accepted Mr Fujii's resignation. |
But Mr Hatoyama was quoted on Wednesday as saying that he wanted Mr Fujii to see through his work on the budget. | |
"But it is a question of his health, so we also have to think about the opinions of the doctors," he added. | "But it is a question of his health, so we also have to think about the opinions of the doctors," he added. |