Japanese voters may further weaken PM over nuclear crisis - Reuters

TOKYO | Sat Apr 9, 2011 11:10pm EDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese voting in local elections on Sunday are expected to vent their anger over Prime Minister Naoto Kan's handling of the ongoing nuclear crisis, further weakening him and bolstering opponents to seek his resignation once the crisis ends.

The unpopular Kan was already under pressure to step down before the massive earthquake and tsunami struck northeast Japan on March 11, leaving his government to cope with the worst crisis to hit Japan since World War Two.

Many Japanese believe Kan's Democratic Party government should form a "grand coalition" with the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party to deal with the thousands left homeless, a reeling economy and the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl.

The Democratic Party is expected lose seats on Sunday, with a heavy loss likely to be blamed on Kan.

"Depending on how badly the Democrats are defeated, the issue of Kan's responsibility could emerge," said Tomoaki Iwai, political science professor at Nihon University.

"Since Kan's departure is said to be a precondition for a grand coalition, such talk (about Kan's resignation and a grand coalition) could gradually surface."

Kan saw his voter support slump to around 20 percent and his grip on power weaken even before the March 11 earthquake, due to policy flip flops and perceived missteps in diplomatic rows with China and Russia.

But he is unlikely to be forced out during the nuclear crisis, say analysts. The crisis could last months as engineers struggle to regain control of the crippled nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant north of Tokyo.

Kan's Democrats have a big majority in parliament's lower house but need opposition help in the upper chamber. Before the crisis, opposition parties in the upper house were blocking budget bills to try and force a snap election.

Kan's eventual resignation could conceivably clear the way for a rejigged ruling coalition, and that would break a parliamentary deadlock that has kept Japan from crafting policies to address the country's most profound problems, a fast-aging society and huge public debt.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka and Linda Sieg; Editing by Michael Perry)

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Police seek suspect in blast near Santa Monica synagogue - Reuters

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A blast outside a Los Angeles-area synagogue this week was caused by an explosive device and police on Saturday were looking for a suspect, authorities said.

The explosion on Thursday near the Chabad House in the Los Angeles suburb of Santa Monica injured no one and was blamed by police that day on a mechanical failure.

The blast sent a pipe hurtling through the air and crashing onto an apartment building next to the synagogue.

Santa Monica police said in a statement late on Friday that they were looking for a transient suspect named Ron Hirsch in connection with the blast.

In the course of examining the scene, investigators determined the blast was actually caused by an explosive device, police said.

Police gave no details on how the device was constructed, but they said items found in and around the mechanism were linked to Hirsch, who also goes by the name Israel Fisher.

Hirsch is known to frequent synagogues and Jewish community centers seeking charity, police said.

Police also released a photo of Hirsch, showing him to be heavy-set and bearded with green eyes.

Hirsch is considered "extremely dangerous," police said.

The FBI, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Los Angeles Police Department are also involved in the investigation.

In the first hours after the blast, police said it appeared to have been caused by a pipe bomb. But they reversed themselves that day and said it was due to a mechanical failure, before investigators came to their latest conclusion and started a manhunt for Hirsch.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst)

Credit: Reuters/Santa Monica Police Department

View the original article here

Police seek suspect in blast near Santa Monica synagogue - Reuters

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A blast outside a Los Angeles-area synagogue this week was caused by an explosive device and police on Saturday were looking for a suspect, authorities said.

The explosion on Thursday near the Chabad House in the Los Angeles suburb of Santa Monica injured no one and was blamed by police that day on a mechanical failure.

The blast sent a pipe hurtling through the air and crashing onto an apartment building next to the synagogue.

Santa Monica police said in a statement late on Friday that they were looking for a transient suspect named Ron Hirsch in connection with the blast.

In the course of examining the scene, investigators determined the blast was actually caused by an explosive device, police said.

Police gave no details on how the device was constructed, but they said items found in and around the mechanism were linked to Hirsch, who also goes by the name Israel Fisher.

Hirsch is known to frequent synagogues and Jewish community centers seeking charity, police said.

Police also released a photo of Hirsch, showing him to be heavy-set and bearded with green eyes.

Hirsch is considered "extremely dangerous," police said.

The FBI, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Los Angeles Police Department are also involved in the investigation.

In the first hours after the blast, police said it appeared to have been caused by a pipe bomb. But they reversed themselves that day and said it was due to a mechanical failure, before investigators came to their latest conclusion and started a manhunt for Hirsch.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst)

View the original article here

Japanese voters may further weaken PM over nuclear crisis - Reuters

TOKYO | Sat Apr 9, 2011 11:10pm EDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese voting in local elections on Sunday are expected to vent their anger over Prime Minister Naoto Kan's handling of the ongoing nuclear crisis, further weakening him and bolstering opponents to seek his resignation once the crisis ends.

The unpopular Kan was already under pressure to step down before the massive earthquake and tsunami struck northeast Japan on March 11, leaving his government to cope with the worst crisis to hit Japan since World War Two.

Many Japanese believe Kan's Democratic Party government should form a "grand coalition" with the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party to deal with the thousands left homeless, a reeling economy and the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl.

The Democratic Party is expected lose seats on Sunday, with a heavy loss likely to be blamed on Kan.

"Depending on how badly the Democrats are defeated, the issue of Kan's responsibility could emerge," said Tomoaki Iwai, political science professor at Nihon University.

"Since Kan's departure is said to be a precondition for a grand coalition, such talk (about Kan's resignation and a grand coalition) could gradually surface."

Kan saw his voter support slump to around 20 percent and his grip on power weaken even before the March 11 earthquake, due to policy flip flops and perceived missteps in diplomatic rows with China and Russia.

But he is unlikely to be forced out during the nuclear crisis, say analysts. The crisis could last months as engineers struggle to regain control of the crippled nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant north of Tokyo.

Kan's Democrats have a big majority in parliament's lower house but need opposition help in the upper chamber. Before the crisis, opposition parties in the upper house were blocking budget bills to try and force a snap election.

Kan's eventual resignation could conceivably clear the way for a rejigged ruling coalition, and that would break a parliamentary deadlock that has kept Japan from crafting policies to address the country's most profound problems, a fast-aging society and huge public debt.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka and Linda Sieg; Editing by Michael Perry)

View the original article here