Kan said keen to compile 2nd budget by mid-July

The Yomiuri Shimbun

People's New Party leader Shizuka Kamei said Monday that Prime Minister Naoto Kan expressed his intention in a meeting that day to compile by mid-July a second supplementary budget for fiscal 2011 for disaster reconstruction.

Kan also agreed on an idea to extend the current Diet session, which is due to end on June 22, Kamei told reporters after the meeting.

Calls for Kan's early resignation are growing within the Democratic Party of Japan. The DPJ plans to hold a general meeting comprising party lawmakers of both houses of the Diet this week to try to end the tug-of-war over Kan's resignation.

At the Prime Minister's Office on Monday, Kamei urged Kan to extend the current ordinary Diet session and to pass a second supplementary budget under the current Cabinet.

Based on his visit Saturday to the quake-hit Tohoku region, Kan said his administration must compile the second budget as soon as possible.

"There are problems that weren't covered by the first supplementary budget for 2011. We'd like to present the second supplementary budget by mid-July."

According to Kamei, details for the second budget will include the requisite minimum support for disaster victims. Kamei said Kan will cope with the extension of the Diet session "appropriately."

On Sunday, Kan told DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada that he was "willing to take responsibility for the prospect of establishing a special law for government bond issuance" and asked Okada to get support from opposition parties.

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Sengoku urges Kan's departure

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku told reporters in Sendai on Sunday that it was desirable for Kan to step down as soon as possible.

"I think it's better for the prime minister to draft a bill on whatever issues he's been working on, and to pass it down [to the next Cabinet for enactment]."

Sengoku, who serves as acting DPJ president, said this month will see the settlement of issues such as a bill for integrated social security and tax system reform and the first official proposal on reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake.

"I guess [Kan's time as prime minister] will conclude around that time [when the policies are settled]," Sengoku said.

As for the compilation of the second supplementary budget, Sengoku said, "It's better the issue be jointly handled by a wide range of parties--the ruling and opposition parties."

Sengoku had previously said on a Fuji TV program that the upcoming party lawmakers meeting "will be a decisive moment" in the debate over Kan's resignation.