Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda called for support from his Democratic Party of Japan colleagues Monday to back his planned reform of the social security and tax systems and urged unity to weather what looks to be a stormy Diet session starting in a week.
"Without (reforms), there's no future for Japan," Noda said at the DPJ's annual convention in Tokyo, held in the wake of his Friday Cabinet reshuffle to pursue the reforms and replace two ministers who were censured by the Liberal Democratic Party-led opposition, which controls the Upper House.
Noda hinted that if his reform goals are reached, he may dissolve the Lower House and call an election, but ruled out an early poll just because the opposition camp wants one.