Japan PM Naoto Kan admits foreign donations

[Rabblevox]

Source: BBC

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has admitted that his political campaign fund received donations from a foreigner, in breach of Japanese law.

Mr Kan told a parliamentary committee that at the time he had been unaware that the donor was a South Korean citizen, resident in Japan.

He told cabinet colleagues he would not be resigning.

Japanese law bans political donations from foreigners to prevent politicians being influenced from abroad.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12709242

[kestrel91316]

1. Admits he blatantly broke the law, but will not be resigning. Is he a Republican??

[aquart]

5. So the Japanese concept of shame is over.

No more hara kiri, I guess.

[AndyTiedye]

9. Nah, the Republicans Packed the Supreme Court and Made it Legal Instead

Citizens United.

[dipsydoodle]

2. In the midst of their current problems

does it really matter.

[happyslug]

3. Why do you think he made this admission?

Like any public person, he released bad data on a day when something else is making the headlines. Expect other releases of bad data from other people. If you have bad news, release it on a day something bigger is taking all the news time.

[rainbow4321]

11. From what I read about this elsewhere

It was said that he was on the verge of being ousted, then the disaster came and any investigation/ousting/political consequences came to screeching halt (obviously, as it should have for now).
I didn't pay attention to what the blurb said he had supposedly done, I was more interested in post-quake details at the time.

[Rabblevox]

4. the evil cynic inside me says "damn, what perfect timing" /nt

[defendandprotect]

6. kr

[Rabblevox]

7. Another good article on Naoto Kan, with a slightly different take, from The Guardian...

Source: Guardian.co.uk

Japan needs leadership, but can Naoto Kan deliver?
Japan's prime minister was in trouble before the tsunami. His response to the disaster could turn things around

Simon Tisdall
The Guardian, Saturday 12 March 2011

Naoto Kan, Japan's prime minister, already faced a mountain of problems before the earthquake and tsunami knocked his country for six. Only hours before disaster struck, Kan was insisting he would not resign over the latest party funding scandal. Such declarations have become a bit of a ritual in Japanese political life, and they often presage collapse: the country has had six prime ministers in five years. But right now Japan needs strong leadership like never before.

Kan moved swiftly to take charge in the immediate aftermath of the quake, urging MPs to help him "save the country", ordering troops into the worst-affected areas and shutting down high-risk nuclear plants and transport systems. He is surely aware of the fate awaiting leaders who fail to rise to the occasion when natural disasters hit. Taiwan's premier, Liu Chao-shiuan, was forced out in 2009 after his government mishandled typhoon Morakot. George Bush was almost blown away by hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Perceptions of Kan's performance over the coming days will undoubtedly affect Japan's future political course. According to Eurasia Review, his approval rating stands at 20%, low even by Japanese standards. His ruling Democratic party (DPJ) has lost its way since its historic 2009 victory over the long-governing Liberal Democrats (LDP). Sixty-two per cent of voters think the government is doing a bad job, an Asahi Shimbun poll found this month.

Read More:http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/12/japan-earthquake-naoto-kan-tsunami

[Earth_First]

8. The United States used to be the same way until Citizens United... n/t

[Kuroneko]

10. Lot of problems with this OP

It's out of timing and context.
The announce was made before the earthquake, then there is absolutely no link between the 2.

About the contest it'll take some time to explain, but a good picture could be to compare Kan to Obama facing the republicans.