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May 9, 2011. DPJ rival criticizes prime minister's handling of nuclear crisis

SOURCE: Altegrity Risk International

A prominent rival to Prime Minister Naoto Kan within his own Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), Ichiro Ozawa, publicly criticized the prime minister's handling of the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor, reports said on May 6th. Intra-party disputes could not only weaken the DPJ's unity but harm its electoral prospects. The ruling party's image was further damaged after the deputy head of its disaster task force was found playing golf in the Philippines during a national holiday in spite of the crisis. The opposition, meanwhile, has blocked bills in the divided parliament to force Kan to quit. In spite of pressure from rivals in his own party, the opposition, and public, Kan is expected to stay in office until the nuclear crisis is brought under control, a process that could take all of 2011.