Japan’s Prime Minister Kan quits

26 August 2011 Last updated at 01:43 ET

Naoto Kan lost support over his handling of Japan’s devastating quake and tsunami

Japan’s beleaguered Prime Minister Naoto Kan has announced his resignation, clearing the way for the country’s sixth leader in five years.

Mr Kan has been criticised for failing to show leadership after the devastating 11 March earthquake and tsunami, and ensuing nuclear crisis.

In June, Mr Kan pledged to quit if parliament passed three key pieces of legislation, which it did on Friday.

The ruling Democratic Party of Japan will choose a new leader on Monday.

Mr Kan’s successor as party head will almost certainly become Japan’s next prime minister.

Challenges ahead

Mr Kan announced his decision to stand down at a DPJ meeting, broadcast by Japanese media. He is expected to give a news conference later on Friday.

National broadcaster NHK quoted Mr Kan as saying that “as promised on 2 June, I am resigning as the leader of the DPJ”.

“Once the new leader is selected, I will also resign as the Prime Minister,” he was quoted as saying.

His decision to stand down was widely expected, amid falling approval ratings and party infighting.

The BBC’s Roland Buerk in Tokyo says the new prime minister will have to oversee the biggest reconstruction effort in Japan since WWII and resolve the nuclear crisis at Fukushima where reactors are still leaking radiation.

They will also have to persuade the markets that Japan can overcome a divided parliament to address the biggest national debt in the industrialised world, our correspondent says.

Seiji Maehara, a hawk on China who argues for pursuing growth before raising taxes to restore the nation’s fiscal health, is favourite among the public.

But the decision will be made by the governing party’s Diet members.

Reports in Japan say Ichiro Ozawa, who leads the biggest faction despite the suspension of his party membership over a political funding scandal, is unlikely to support the former foreign minister.

Other possible successors include Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Trade Minister Banri Kaieda, and Agriculture Minister Michihiko Kano.

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