Japan’s Prime Minister Steps Down on news.yahoo.com ›
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama resigned Wednesday to improve his party's chances in an election next month, after his popularity plunged over his broken campaign promise to move a U.S. Marine base. Finance Minister Naoto Kan, who has a clean and defiant image, emerged as a likely successor. He signaled he intends to run for leadership of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan at a party meeting to be held Friday.

