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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Japanese prime minister resigns | Japanese prime minister resigns |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced he is resigning as Japan's prime minister after a bruising election in July and poor poll ratings. | Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced he is resigning as Japan's prime minister after a bruising election in July and poor poll ratings. |
| Mr Abe had faced growing calls to go since his Liberal Democrats lost the upper house but had held out, insisting he wanted to push through reforms. | Mr Abe had faced growing calls to go since his Liberal Democrats lost the upper house but had held out, insisting he wanted to push through reforms. |
| He went on national TV to say he was leaving because Japan needed a "new leader to fight against terrorism". | He went on national TV to say he was leaving because Japan needed a "new leader to fight against terrorism". |
| "The people need a leader whom they can support and trust," he added. | "The people need a leader whom they can support and trust," he added. |
| He said he would risk his job in passing the anti-terrorism law, so I don't know why he is resigning before making the effort Koichi Haji chief economist at NLI Research Institute | |
| On Sunday, Mr Abe had staked his job on extending Japan's naval support for the US-led mission in Afghanistan beyond a current November deadline. | |
| Opposition parties had vowed to delay the measure and news of the resignation, coming just before a parliamentary debate, took some analysts by surprise. | |
| Mr Abe, who is seen as a nationalist, took over as prime minister a year ago. At 52, he was Japan's youngest post-war head of government. | Mr Abe, who is seen as a nationalist, took over as prime minister a year ago. At 52, he was Japan's youngest post-war head of government. |
| But his poll ratings plummeted amid a row over pensions and a series of financial scandals involving cabinet ministers. | But his poll ratings plummeted amid a row over pensions and a series of financial scandals involving cabinet ministers. |
| Heavy blow | Heavy blow |
| Mr Abe did not give a date for his departure from office but said he had instructed party leaders to search for a new premier. | |
| "In the present situation it is difficult to push ahead with effective policies that win the support and trust of the public," he said. | "In the present situation it is difficult to push ahead with effective policies that win the support and trust of the public," he said. |
| "I have decided that we need a change in this situation." | "I have decided that we need a change in this situation." |
| The resignation deals a heavy blow to the Liberal Democrats, Leo Lewis reports from Tokyo. | The resignation deals a heavy blow to the Liberal Democrats, Leo Lewis reports from Tokyo. |
| Mr Abe was appointed by his immediate predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi, but he failed to push ahead with the same reformist vigour. | Mr Abe was appointed by his immediate predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi, but he failed to push ahead with the same reformist vigour. |
| Cabinet-level resignations and the disastrous defeat at the recent upper house elections left him unable to gain momentum on any of his major policies. | Cabinet-level resignations and the disastrous defeat at the recent upper house elections left him unable to gain momentum on any of his major policies. |
| Many believe that that his anti-terror bill is now likely to fail to pass, Leo Lewis adds. | Many believe that that his anti-terror bill is now likely to fail to pass, Leo Lewis adds. |
| Surprise timing | |
| The yen and stocks have slipped on concerns about political uncertainty, Reuters news agency notes. | |
| Mr Abe's announcement came as a surprise to some as he had been due to answer questions in parliament later on Wednesday over plans to extend the Japanese naval mission in support of US-led operations in Afghanistan. | |
| "The timing is astonishing," Koichi Haji, chief economist at NLI Research Institute, was quoted by Reuters as saying. | |
| "It's a huge surprise. He said he would risk his job in passing the anti-terrorism law, so I don't know why he is resigning before making the effort." | |
| The Liberal Democrats' secretary-general, Taro Aso, is tipped by many to succeed Mr Abe. | |
| A close Abe ally, he is seen to share most of his hawkish views on security policy. |