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Upper house vote to test Japan PM Upper house vote to test Japan PM
(40 minutes later)
PM Kan has promised to cut Japan's debtsPM Kan has promised to cut Japan's debts
Japan is voting in upper house polls being seen as a referendum on the 10 months of rule by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) led by PM Naoto Kan.Japan is voting in upper house polls being seen as a referendum on the 10 months of rule by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) led by PM Naoto Kan.
He told supporters on Saturday that Japan had to avoid financial collapse.He told supporters on Saturday that Japan had to avoid financial collapse.
Mr Kan came to office last month and polls suggest the DPJ and its allies may lose their majority in the house.Mr Kan came to office last month and polls suggest the DPJ and its allies may lose their majority in the house.
A poor result could force him to seek new coalition partners, and may even see Mr Kan ousted by his party, says the BBC's Roland Buerk on Tokyo.A poor result could force him to seek new coalition partners, and may even see Mr Kan ousted by his party, says the BBC's Roland Buerk on Tokyo.
The DPJ came to power last August ending half a century of dominance by their main rivals, the conservative Liberal Democratic Party.The DPJ came to power last August ending half a century of dominance by their main rivals, the conservative Liberal Democratic Party.
Mr Kan succeeded Yukio Hatoyama who resigned abruptly after only nine months in office.Mr Kan succeeded Yukio Hatoyama who resigned abruptly after only nine months in office.
Sales tax rowSales tax row
A total of 121 seats are being contested on Sunday. In Sunday's poll, 121 seats, half of the upper house, are being contested.
The new government has seized greater control of policy-making from the powerful bureaucracy.
But it has performed less well tackling Japan's big problems, the ageing population and the vast national debt.
Funding scandals and a row over an American military base brought down Yukio Hatoyama after less than nine months as prime minister.
His successor Naoto Kan made raising consumption tax a big issue in this election. He said action was necessary to avoid a Greek-style debt crisis.
But opinion polls suggest voters are divided.
Currently, the DPJ and its coalition ally, the People's New Party, control 122 seats.Currently, the DPJ and its coalition ally, the People's New Party, control 122 seats.
But opinion polls suggested the DPJ could lose some of its seats.But opinion polls suggested the DPJ could lose some of its seats.
The campaign has been dominated by the prime minister's suggestion that Japan needs to discuss the possibility of an increase in sales tax - an issue that has divided voters, says our Tokyo correspondent.The campaign has been dominated by the prime minister's suggestion that Japan needs to discuss the possibility of an increase in sales tax - an issue that has divided voters, says our Tokyo correspondent.
Addressing supporters in Tokyo as the campaign drew to a close, Mr Kan said the country had to make sure it avoids collapse.Addressing supporters in Tokyo as the campaign drew to a close, Mr Kan said the country had to make sure it avoids collapse.
"Japan's economy is 20 to 30 times bigger than that of Greece and its public debt is huge, so no country in the world could rescue Japan," Mr Kan said."Japan's economy is 20 to 30 times bigger than that of Greece and its public debt is huge, so no country in the world could rescue Japan," Mr Kan said.
Japan has been borrowing money for two decades, trying to bring its economy out of stagnation.Japan has been borrowing money for two decades, trying to bring its economy out of stagnation.
The new government has seized greater control of policy-making from the powerful bureaucracy, says our correspondent.
But it has performed less well tackling Japan's big problems, the ageing population and the vast national debt.
Funding scandals and a row over an American military base brought down Yukio Hatoyama after less than nine months as prime minister.
His successor Naoto Kan made raising consumption tax a big issue in this election, our Tokyo correspondent says. But opinion polls suggest voters are divided.