The Proceedings Have Begun

Liberal Democratic Party Vice President Oshima Tadamori has begun explaining why the his party has submitted a no confidence motion.

If this no confidence motion does not pass, LDP Party President Tanigaki Sadakazu and Oshima are toast.

Later - If Oshima thinks that this speech is going to encourage Democratic Party members to vote for the no-confidence motion, he is mistaken. He is pushing not just the front row cryers to mock him but even the senior members of the DPJ in the back row into the act.

Lucky for him that Kan's fate does not depend on what he thinks but what Ozawa Ichiro and Hatoyama Yukio think.

Later still - A sweep across the faces of the LDP members of the chamber reveals nothing but stony faces. Don't they know it's their guy who is up at the rostrum?

Even later still - In his speech to his own party members, Prime Minister Kan Naoto outlined three guiding principles of his actions, and challenged his fellow party members to follow him:
1) Expend every effort helping those suffering from the triple disasters of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear plant failures.
2) Never lead a breakup of the DPJ.
3) Never lend a hand to the LDP.

Oshima is doing a great job encouraging members of the DPJ to follow their prime minister in checking off item #3.

And Yet Even Later Still - Well, thank Amaterasu that that is over. Now on to the debate for and against.