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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Japanese PM in election setback | Japanese PM in election setback |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Mr Kan's party felt well short of the seats it had hoped to win | Mr Kan's party felt well short of the seats it had hoped to win |
| Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has ruled out calling a snap election following his party's poor performance in upper house polls. | Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has ruled out calling a snap election following his party's poor performance in upper house polls. |
| Mr Kan, who has only been in office for a month, urged the Japanese public to give his administration a chance. | Mr Kan, who has only been in office for a month, urged the Japanese public to give his administration a chance. |
| His party won just 44 seats - well short of its goal of 54. | His party won just 44 seats - well short of its goal of 54. |
| The poll - which leaves the ruling Democratic Party of Japan without a majority in the upper house - was seen as a referendum on its 10-month rule. | The poll - which leaves the ruling Democratic Party of Japan without a majority in the upper house - was seen as a referendum on its 10-month rule. |
| A total of 121 seats, half of the upper house, were being contested in the polls. | A total of 121 seats, half of the upper house, were being contested in the polls. |
| The DPJ held 62 seats not being contested, and its 44 wins leave it short of the 122 majority needed. | The DPJ held 62 seats not being contested, and its 44 wins leave it short of the 122 majority needed. |
| Its tiny ally, the People's New Party, won no seats in Sunday's election. | Its tiny ally, the People's New Party, won no seats in Sunday's election. |
| The DPJ still has a majority in the more powerful lower house which it can use to force legislation through parliament, but its ability to govern effectively has been challenged. | The DPJ still has a majority in the more powerful lower house which it can use to force legislation through parliament, but its ability to govern effectively has been challenged. |
| Mr Kan has said he will not resign and late on Monday ruled out calling an early poll. | Mr Kan has said he will not resign and late on Monday ruled out calling an early poll. |
| "Only about one month has passed since the launch of my administration and I want the chance to firmly manage this administration with the people of Japan watching," Reuters news agency quoted him as saying. | "Only about one month has passed since the launch of my administration and I want the chance to firmly manage this administration with the people of Japan watching," Reuters news agency quoted him as saying. |
| Financial fears | Financial fears |
| The DPJ came to power last August, ending half a century of dominance by its main rivals, the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, which won 51 seats. | The DPJ came to power last August, ending half a century of dominance by its main rivals, the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, which won 51 seats. |
| Mr Kan succeeded Yukio Hatoyama, who resigned abruptly after only nine months in office amid funding scandals and a row over an American military base. | Mr Kan succeeded Yukio Hatoyama, who resigned abruptly after only nine months in office amid funding scandals and a row over an American military base. |
| The upper house election campaign was dominated by the prime minister's suggestion that Japan needed to discuss the possibility of an increase in sales tax - an issue that has divided voters. | The upper house election campaign was dominated by the prime minister's suggestion that Japan needed to discuss the possibility of an increase in sales tax - an issue that has divided voters. |
| Sales tax currently stands at 5%, but Mr Kan had suggested raising this as high as 10%. | Sales tax currently stands at 5%, but Mr Kan had suggested raising this as high as 10%. |
| Mr Kan said the country had to make sure it avoided financial collapse. | Mr Kan said the country had to make sure it avoided financial 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," he said on Friday. | "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," he said on Friday. |
| 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 BBC's Roland Buerk in Tokyo says that what was at stake was whether the prime minister would be able to build a stable political base to tackle the massive national debt. | The BBC's Roland Buerk in Tokyo says that what was at stake was whether the prime minister would be able to build a stable political base to tackle the massive national debt. |
| Our correspondent says Mr Kan must now look for allies among smaller parties and the result could leave the prime minister vulnerable to leadership challenges from within his own party. | Our correspondent says Mr Kan must now look for allies among smaller parties and the result could leave the prime minister vulnerable to leadership challenges from within his own party. |