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Upper house vote tests Japan PM | |
(40 minutes later) | |
The prime minister and his wife voted early in Tokyo | The prime minister and his wife voted early in Tokyo |
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. |
Polls close at 2000 (1100 GMT), with exit polls expected to indicate likely results immediately after that. | Polls close at 2000 (1100 GMT), with exit polls expected to indicate likely results immediately after that. |
Sales tax row | Sales tax row |
In Sunday's poll, 121 seats, half of the upper house, are being contested. | In Sunday's poll, 121 seats, half of the upper house, are being contested. |
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. |
Around 104 million Japanese are eligible to vote. More than 9.5 million voters had already cast early ballots on Sunday morning. | Around 104 million Japanese are eligible to vote. More than 9.5 million voters had already cast early ballots on Sunday morning. |
There were mixed messages from voters leaving the polls. | There were mixed messages from voters leaving the polls. |
Junko Yoshimizu, 68, who cast her vote for the DPJ, said in Tokyo: "I still have hope for them and as such I want to give them a bit more time." | Junko Yoshimizu, 68, who cast her vote for the DPJ, said in Tokyo: "I still have hope for them and as such I want to give them a bit more time." |
But Akira Ono, also 68, said after casting his vote: "They weren't as good as I was expecting and so I'm somewhat disappointed." | But Akira Ono, also 68, said after casting his vote: "They weren't as good as I was expecting and so I'm somewhat disappointed." |
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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |