With a slowing economy and rising energy costs, a fall in petrol taxes on April 1st of up to ￥24 (24 cents) is something to celebrate. Not, however, if it causes a political smash-up. That is why Yasuo Fukuda, the prime minister, apologised to Japan for "the failure in politics" that had led to the cut. He had proposed ways to extend a "temporary" petrol levy that had been in place for over 30 years. But the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), which controls the upper house of parliament, rejected them. So a showdown looms at the end of April, when Mr Fukuda can use his coalition's two-thirds "superma-jority" in the lower house to override the upper. If he does, then the upper house may pass a rare motion of censure.
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