TOKYO - Japanese
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday submitted
his resignation to senior officials of the ruling
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), not even waiting
to see if his political gamble over support for
US-led operations in Afghanistan would pay off.
The 52-year-old premier quit "to take
responsibility for causing political confusion", a
LDP executive said immediately after news of Abe's
decision became known.
Later, in a
televised news conference broadcast nationally, Abe
said
he had decided to create a new situation by
resigning, and, citing the LPD's trouncing in July
elections for the Upper House of Parliament, said
he had instructed party leaders to immediately
search for a new party president.
The
party is expected to hold an election for a new
president on September 19. LDP secretary general
Taro Aso has not said whether he will seek the
leadership - which automatically comes with the
job of prime minister. Abe will hold the position
in the interim.
Abe, whose support rating
has fallen to 30%, at the weekend said he had "no
intention of clinging to my duties" if the
Japanese refueling mission to assist the US in
Afghanistan was not extended beyond its November 1
legal deadline.
The premier, who took
office last September, obviously did not want to
wait that long for his credibility to be tested
and has had enough of his scandal-plagued tenure.
"In the present situation it is difficult
to push ahead with effective policies that win the
support and trust of the public," Abe said in his
national address. "I have decided that we need a
change in this situation."
In a desperate
bid to reverse his own and the LDP's sagging
popularity, Abe reshuffled his cabinet and party
leadership last month, tapping veteran lawmakers
for key posts. But within weeks two of the new
ministers had quit, the latest being internal
affairs minister Hiroya Masuda.
Tokyo
shares lost 0.50% on Wednesday, with investor
sentiment undermined by news of Abe's resignation.
The Nikkei-225 index fell 80.07 points to end at
15,797.60.
Japanese business leaders
voiced their surprise at Abe's decision. Fujio
Mitarai, chairman of the Japan Business
Federation, said in a statement he was "shocked".
He said a new government should be formed as soon
as possible to avoid a political vacuum. Nobuo
Yamaguchi, chairman of the Japan Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, made a similar statement.
Abe came into office with a promise to
build a "beautiful country", and set to work on
conservative causes such as rewriting the pacifist
constitution imposed by the US after World War II.
Other reform programs never got off the ground,
and all that Abe will be left with is the memories
of the ugly face of politics.
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