No-confidence motion against Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan fails; Japan expresses interest in cooperating with Vietnam over nuclear power plant safety
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    • Reports noted that a no-confidence motion proposed on June 2 against Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s cabinet failed. The no-confidence motion failed once Kan assured the members of the ruling DPJ, who had earlier threatened to vote in favour of the motion, that he would step down once a certain level progress was made in the rebuilding efforts following the Fukushima crisis. An overwhelming majority of 293 members of the Lower House voted against the motion while 152 voted in its favour. Although Kan succeeded in avoiding a no-confidence motion passed, speculations are already on regarding the appropriate timing of Kan’s resignation.1 After the confidence motion was defeated, Kan has reportedly sated that he would resign once there is virtually no release of radioactive materials and the damaged reactors are brought into the process of a “cold shutdown”.2

    In another development, Japan has expressed keenness in cooperating with Vietnam in ensuring safety of the latter’s envisioned nuclear power plants. During his recent visit to Japan by Truong Tan Sang, a senior member of the Vietnamese Communist Party who is to become the next President of Vietnam, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan voiced support for bilateral nuclear cooperation though Japan itself is currently struggling to deal with the aftereffects of the Fukushima nuclear crisis. It is worth noting that according to an accord signed in October 2010 between Japan and Vietnam, Vietnam was to acquire two nuclear plants from Japanese companies.3

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