Prime Minister Naoto Kan's political neck is not even worth considering as a condition to helping pass bills necessary to implement the fiscal 2011 budget, Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Nobuteru Ishihara said Saturday.
With Kan being increasingly driven into a corner by the opposition's offensive and internal strife in the Democratic Party of Japan, some in the DPJ are reportedly hoping that the opposition will help the budget bills through the Diet in exchange for Kan's resignation.
That scenario would prevent the Lower House from being dissolved for a snap election. Holding an election now would be suicidal for the party, given the increasing voter skepticism about its ability to run the country.