Japanese PM resigns ahead of election

Embattled Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama resigned today to improve his party’s chances in an election next month.

Mr Hatoyama’s popularity had plunged over his broken campaign promise to move a US Marine base.

The prime minister’s bungled handling of the relocation of the Marine Air Station Futenma on the southern island of Okinawa reinforced his public image as an indecisive leader, causing him to step down just eight months after his party swept to power on promises to bring change and accountability to government.

Mr Hatoyama, a millionaire with a PhD in engineering from Stanford University, is the fourth Japanese prime minister to resign in four years. Viewed as somewhat aloof and eccentric by the Japanese public, he earned the nickname “alien”.

“Since last year’s elections, I tried to change politics in which the people of Japan would be the main actors,” he told a news conference broadcast nationwide.

But he conceded his efforts fell short and people stopped listening to him. “That’s mainly because of my failings,” he said.

The Democratic Party of Japan’s powerful number two, secretary general Ichiro Ozawa – seen by many as a “shadow shogun” – also stepped down in a desperate attempt to bolster the DPJ’s sagging reputation ahead of upper house elections that will likely be held July 11.

His party said it would hold a meeting Friday to select a new leader, who will officially become the next prime minister after mandatory parliamentary votes expected early next week.

Analysts said finance minister Naoto Kan or foreign minister Katsuya Okada were the most likely candidates to succeed Mr Hatoyama.