Japan PM No-Confidence Vote Likely Next WeekJapanese lawmakers will vote on a no-confidence motion against unpopular Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori on Monday at the earliest, Jiji news agency said.Quoting sources in the main opposition Democratic Party, Jiji said the opposition camp was seeking the appropriate timing to submit the motion, which would be voted on Monday or later. There had been expectations that Japan's four main opposition parties would submit the motion later on Friday after parliament's powerful Lower House passes next year's budget. The motion will have only symbolic value given the ruling coalition's majority in the 480-member Lower House, where it holds 277 seats, unless a sufficient number of ruling lawmakers either back it or abstain. But its submission will embarrass the ruling parties and be certain to heat up their own campaign to unseat Mori in an effort to improve their image with voters ahead of a critical Upper House election in July. |
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