Prime Minister Naoto Kan may find himself in a tough position next week when Asian and European leaders focus on fiscal rehabilitation at an Asia-Europe Meeting in Brussels.
Kan has changed his schedule and decided to attend the Oct. 4-5 summit in hopes of meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on its sidelines to mend the two countries' strained ties.
With or without the China factor, however, Kan may have to brace for criticism at the gathering on account of Japan's snowballing public debt and lack of a silver bullet to spur economic growth.