TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama says he is resigning.
Hatoyama told a news conference broadcast nationwide on Wednesday that he will step down over his broken campaign promise to move a U.S. Marine base off the southern island of Okinawa.
After eight months in office, the embattled prime minister has faced growing pressure from within his own party to resign ahead of July elections.
His approval ratings have plummeted over the bungling of handling the Marine Air Station Futenma, reinforcing his public image as an indecisive leader.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
TOKYO (AP) – Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama has said he intends to resign.
Public broadcaster NHK said Wednesday that Hatoyama told his party executives he intended to step down over his broken campaign promise to move a U.S. Marine base off the southern island of Okinawa.
The embattled prime minister has faced growing pressure from within his own party to resign ahead of July elections.
His approval ratings have plummeted over the bungling, reinforcing his public image as an indecisive leader after only eight months in office since September.
They'll probably just end up begging Koizumi to come back.
He's too busy voicing Ultraman King in the Ultraman movies anyway (true story).
Career move? He's doing for a laugh.
Resigning for breaking a campaign promise? What kind of politicians are they?They even drive on the wrong side of the road.
Resigning for breaking a campaign promise? What kind of politicians are they?
The director of the movie said Koizumi was the only person he could imagine voicing Ultraman King. And he actually managed to get him, I'm still not sure how Koizumi saw that as a good career move.Ultraman King is like Burger King but metal.
(http://neoshinka.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/ultraman-king-junichiro-koizumi-02.jpg)
Lol, the job that no one wants. If Ozawa gets in.... :maf :maf :maf :maf
me no understand.
Better yet, imagine NK provoking China, who responds by invading and occupying the country.
Ozawa resigned as well, Ichi. I guess that makes me King of Japan for today, sorry.
I got owned.
Hmm...then who could replace Hatoyama? Would be cool if it was a chick.
It's not just that, but the whole MANIFESTO thing as well; incoherent tax plans, spending which would spiral out of control. I think the brochure was cursed by putting his big, Q-tip head on the cover. He is pretty much the goofiest, most spoiled and out of touch goombah they could have put in there. He's incredibly out of touch with the average Japanese person, having never wanted for anything in his life. And his wife's crazy (http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/miyuki-hatoyama-claims-her-soul-traveled-to-venus-on-ufo).Resigning for breaking a campaign promise? What kind of politicians are they?
His approval rating was in the low 20s. He'd never have resigned if people were cool with breaking said promise. Basically the issue is that he got completely fuckowned by the US govt. and completely self-owned by his own self. It was all most humiliating. :japancry :american