Japanese PM Yasuo Fukuda resigns
Updated
It's a wonder there's not a revolving door on the Prime Minister's office in Tokyo. Japan is on the lookout for a new Prime Minister after the sudden resignation of its third leader in three years. Yasuo Fukuda says he's not the man for the job.
Presenter: Shane McLeod
Speaker: Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda
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MCLEOD: With grandfatherly looks to match his grandfatherly age, Yasuo Fukuda was meant to be the experienced pair of hands to guide Japan's Liberal Democratic Party back to political safety. The 72 year old had been called up as leader last September after the embarrassing and unexpected departure of another prime minister with less than a year in office. Ad now, eleven months into his own term, Mr Fukuda is stepping down. The Japanese economy and the Japanese peoples lives are at stake, Mr Fukuda says.
FUKUDA: I have decided anew that policy must be allowed to move forward, and with that I have decided to resign as Prime Minister.
MCLEOD: The challenge Mr Fukuda is shying away from is parliament, due to resume sittings in less than a fortnight.
The government has struggled to push its agenda after an election in July last year delivered control of the upper house to the opposition. Mr Fukuda says he's tried to overcome opposition belligerence to get the government's legislation through. But he says he's not the man to continue the fight.
FUKUDA: "My only hope is that the upcoming parliamentary session will move forward smoothly," he says. "In order for that to happen the only way is for someone other than me to lead the government."
MCLEOD: With a cabinet reshuffle last month Mr Fukuda had hoped to boost his flagging opinion poll ratings. An economic stimulus package announced Friday was designed to do the same. But with little result, it seems. Both Mr Fukuda and other senior figures within the party have decided that only a new, more popular leader, can take the fight up to the opposition.
The most likely candidate is Taro Aso, the former foreign minister, almost as well known for his hawkish conservatism as he is for his love of manga comic books. But given the party is on to its third leadership ballot within three years, any number of candidate could emerge for the run-off.
The opposition says the LDP shouldn't worry about changing leaders; it should instead ask the people what they think at a general election. But government backbenchers have been making sure that's off the agenda for now. They know that while the opposition's control of the upper house is frustrating, it'd be nothing compared to losing office entirely - a position the LDP has been in for only one 18-month stretch in the last 58 years.
