The first anniversary of Naoto Kan's prime ministership arrived Wednesday amid a whirlwind of political maneuvering and speculation over when he would step down and whether the ruling and opposition parties can form a grand coalition.
Even as the nation struggles in the aftermath of the deadly tsunami and earthquake, and with the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, ruling and opposition party lawmakers have been engaged in horse-trading, triggering public ire and disappointment, especially among those in the disaster zones.
Despite his initial intention to delay his resignation several months, or even into next year, Kan will most likely be forced to step down by July, critics say. If so, he will become the fifth prime minister to quit since 2007.