Japan's opposition is quietly stepping back from calls on the defense chief to step down over a naval accident that killed two fishermen, whose colleagues yesterday lent support to the minister.
Japan's largest and newest destroyer, equipped with the advanced Aegis radar combat system, rammed a fishing boat in the Pacific Ocean.
Two fishermen, a father and his adult son, are presumed dead in the collision last month, which has led to a fall in the support ratings for Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's government.
The opposition demanded fresh elections last week and pledged to stall proceedings unless Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba quit or was fired in what would be the first departure from Fukuda's five-month-old government.
While publicly the opposition has not changed stance, its calls for Ishiba's head have cooled this week, which media reports attributed to a request from the victims' family.
"The local fishermen's union has been consistently saying that Minister Ishiba wouldn't be able to take responsibility just by resigning the position," a fisherman in the victims' village of Katsuura said.
"He has to take responsibility by clarifying what caused the accident and taking thorough preventive measures," he said, declining to be named.
Fukuda and Ishiba both visited the village, with the premier offering a tearful apology to Sachiko Kichisei, whose husband and son are both presumed dead.
Fukuda received a letter from the family, which media reports said asked him to spare Ishiba.
"I don't know what exactly the letter said, but I'm sure it was along the lines of the feelings that we all share," the fisherman said.
Until last week, Japanese news reports had been filled with anonymous quotes from ruling party lawmakers saying Ishiba would be forced out.
But on Wednesday the Yomiuri Shimbun daily quoted a top official of the main opposition Democratic Party saying: "We won't be able to get public support for demanding him to resign."
The opposition took control of the upper house last year and has repeatedly seized on scandals to demand fresh general elections.
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