TOKYO (AFP) – Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan survived a leadership challenge by a party powerbroker Tuesday after just three months in office, but his government could still face new political tumult.

Kan was re-elected by his centre-left Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) as party president, meaning he stays on as premier, after defeating powerful faction boss Ichiro Ozawa, dubbed the “Shadow Shogun”.
“Now the time has come to start taking full-fledged action,” said the 63-year-old, who became Japan's leader in June when he replaced an outgoing premier, without gaining a popular mandate in a general election.
“I want the Japanese people to watch what I do.”
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