Kan fends off Ozawa to remain Japan's prime minister
13:00 14/09/2010 TOKYO, September 14 (RIA Novosti) - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who has pledged to "push the wheels of the cart forward" to improve ties with Russia, has maintained his position as the leader of the governing Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), which will allow him to further head the country's cabinet.
"Japan is in a difficult condition. Turning it into a vigorous, cheerful country, and handing [it] over to [our] children - this is my job. I am ready to take all efforts for this purpose," Kan told the party meeting after the vote.
The vote involved DPJ members in the county's parliament, local legislatures, and other party members.
Among the DPJ members of parliament, those supporting Kan had a narrow 6-vote advantage over those willing to see Ichiro Ozawa the head of the party and the government.
Experts does not rule out the Ozawa may become the party's secretary general.
After being elected as Japanese Prime Minister in June 2010, Kan said he would energetically address Japan's relations with Russia, both in political and economic spheres. He also pledged to do his best to resolve "the main problem" in Russian-Japanese relations - the dispute over the South Kuril Islands.
Tokyo's claims over the four islands off northeastern Japan, which were annexed by the Soviet Union after World War II, have so far prevented Russia and Japan from signing a formal peace treaty to end World War II hostilities.
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