Tokyo  - Japan's House of Representatives on Thursday passed a motion of confidence in Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's Cabinet.

The move was to counter the censure motion that the opposition-controlled House of Councillors passed Wednesday to protest mainly the ruling parties' refusal to abolish new health insurance policy for those aged 75 and up.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition the New Komeito Party on Thursday said that the Fukuda Cabinet is "faithfully fulfilling its responsibility" and that all ministers are "qualified to be in charge of state affairs."

While the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party and the People's New Party lawmakers boycotted the a lower house plenary session, the lower house voted and approved the confidence resolution by a majority.

Fukuda's LDP and its coalition partner hold a two-thirds majority in the lower house.

If a censure motion was passed or a confidence motion was voted down in the lower house, the prime minister has to dissolve the lower house for a general election or resign, along with his Cabinet ministers.

The opposition parties submitted the censure motion against Fukuda because the ruling parties supported the new health insurance programme, which has been criticized for setting a heavy financial burden on elderly people with low income.

Fukuda became the first prime minister in postwar history to face censure in the upper house, although it is not legally binding under the constitution. (dpa)