I suspect Noda is just running out the clock.
But by going back and forth between the LDP and Ozawa, neither of which wants to dance with him, he has covered himself regardless of whether (a) the tax increase cannot be passed or (b) the DPJ splits.
And in the bargain, he diverts a lot of media attention away from his decision to approve restarting the nuclear plants even though there is no real regulatory agency, even though there are only interim safety standards of convenience, and even though the industry only has plans and no reality to meet even those why-not-for-now standards.

FWIW
- -- --- ---- ----- ---- --- -- -
Fred Uleman, translator emeritus