Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Monday gave some of his Cabinet ministers new jobs and hired a member of the top opposition party to be his parliamentary secretary for internal affairs — moves that were viewed as an effort to extend his grip on power despite stated plans to step down.
The moves angered the leadership of the conservative Liberal Democratic Party and even dismayed some in his own party, ensuring the Democratic Party of Japan-led ruling coalition will have a tough time handling government-sponsored bills in the divided Diet.
"I don't think (the appointment of an LDP member) will be a plus in managing Diet affairs," said Jun Azumi, the DPJ's diet affairs chief. "It will just make the situation even tougher."