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WORLD> Asia-Pacific
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Japan minister quits in blow to brand new PM Aso
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-28 14:40 Rocky Start Support for Aso's cabinet fell short of 50 percent in several media polls published on Friday, lower than Fukuda enjoyed when he first took the job and casting doubt on Aso's ability to lead his party, which has ruled Japan for most of the past half-century, to an election win.
Opinion polls show that while Aso, 68, is more popular than main opposition Democratic Party leader Ichiro Ozawa, his Liberal Democratic Party has only a small lead among voters when they are asked for whom they will cast their ballots. Nakayama's fate was sealed on Saturday after he called the Japan Teachers Union "a cancer for Japan's education system" and vowed to destroy the left-leaning group. Nakayama, 65, had already gotten off to a rocky start when he had to apologise and withdraw comments made in interviews with media including a remark that Japan was "ethnically homogeneous". That statement drew protests from Japan's Ainu indigenous people, who have long suffered discrimination. Opposition parties called for Nakayama to resign, and Kawamura on Friday warned ministers to watch what they said. Nakayama was a staunch advocate of revising Japan's basic law on education to put more emphasis on teaching patriotism and traditional values. The reforms, opposed by the Japan Teachers' Union, were enacted in 2006. |
