Japan Prime Minister Naoto Kan Wins Party Vote to Stay in Power

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Japan Prime Minister Naoto Kan was reelected head of the ruling Democratic Party on Tuesday, surviving a challenge from scandal- tainted Ichiro Ozawa and sparing Japan another leadership change.

After months of riding a political merry-go-round, Japan's governing party opted for a modicum of stability today when it gave its overwhelming backing to Prime Minister Naoto Kan, and avoided changing prime ministers for the third time in a year.

The former political activist became prime minister just three months ago and on Tuesday easily defeated his only rival, the scandal-tainted Ichiro Ozawa, in a race for the leadership of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and by …