Japan's gaffe-prone Prime Minister, Mr Yoshiro Mori, came under pressure from within his ruling party yesterday to resign for his off-the-cuff remarks over Japan's dealings with North Korea.
Politicians from Mr Mori's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) demanded his resignation following his revelation that Tokyo made a secret offer to North Korea over a kidnapping dispute.
Mr Mori said last week that a Japanese delegation had suggested to Pyongyang in 1997 that North Korea could avoid taking responsibility for the alleged kidnapping of several Japanese nationals since the 1960s by pretending they were found outside its borders. The comment was made when Mr Mori met the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Seoul, his spokesman said.
"The remarks were inappropriate and I wish him to step down soon," an LDP deputy, Mr Yoshimi Watanabe said, adding that he could not wait until the party's leadership election next September. Another LDP deputy, Mr Yasuhisa Shiozaki, said the remarks showed the "nature of the government. I don't want him to stay on as Premier," Mr Shiozaki said.
In talks with North Korea, the Japanese government has demanded answers on the fate of the 10 Japanese nationals allegedly kidnapped by North Korean agents. North Korea wants compensation for Japan's brutal 1910-1945 colonial rule of Korea.