<br/>Japan's new centre-left Prime Minister Naoto Kan easily survived a no-confidence motion on Wednesday and dismissed opposition calls for snap elections for the powerful lower house of parliament. <br/> <br/>The conservative opposition Liberal Democratic Party submitted the motion after Kan took over as leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan last week, arguing that the new prime minister had no popular mandate. The motion was defeated by 315 votes against 153 after a spirited debate. <br/>