Posted on 06/02/2010 2:03:31 AM PDT by markomalley
TOKYO, June 1 (UPI) -- Embattled Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama announced his decision to step down Wednesday after only eight months in office.
The leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, which he helped come to power last September after the August elections, announced his decision at a general assembly of party lawmakers, Kyodo News reported.
The prime minister's ruling coalition has seen its public approval ratings plunge in recent months. Things came to a head after the Social Democratic Party, a coalition partner, decided to leave over the government's accord allowing the U.S. Marine base's air station to stay within Okinawa instead of outside the prefecture as Hatoyama had pledged during his election campaign.
If only politicians here in the USA would step down after failing to keep an election promise.
He wasn't elected on the base agreement. Other than the resort developers, the Okinawans and the dreamland peacenik element (maybe 20% of the electorate total), nobody in Japan gives a damn about the base agreeement.
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