The Japanese government of Mr. Hatoyama resigned en bloc on Friday, a new cabinet to be formed later in the day.
The resignation came two days after announcing the resignation of Mr. Hatoyama of the Prime Minister and the resignation of some senior Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ to power), the DPJ’s Hatoyama President, Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa and the chairman of the DPJ’s policy research Masayuki Naoshima.
The DPJ has begun at 9:00 am to receive a nomination for the post of party leader and hold a general meeting of DPJ members of parliament from 11.00 to elect a new leader to succeed Mr. Hatoyama as Prime Minister.
Mr. Hatoyama said Wednesday his decision to resign at a meeting of parliamentarians of the DPJ, just eight months after taking office.
The drop in popularity due to its poor handling of the relocation of a U.S. base in Okinawa and political funding scandals in which he and his deputy were involved Ichiro Ozawa, left little other choice DPJ than finding a new leader following the loss of public confidence and the political vis-à-vis Mr. Hatoyama.
The Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister post, Naoto Kan, and Shinji Tarutoko, Chair of the Environment of the House of Representatives (lower house of Parliament) are vying to succeed Mr. Hatoyama.