Kan faces pressure to step down next month

Delay on tax and social security reforms increases credibility fears

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, criticized for his handling of the tsunami disaster and the country's sluggish economy, is under pressure to resign next month after budget bills are passed by parliament, reports said on Monday.

Kan is being pushed by senior members of his party to step down after the passage of a second extra budget for the current fiscal year, which ends in March 2012, according to the Kyodo news agency and public broadcaster NHK.