He should had stood firm and kick US bases out of Japan instead of quitting. Sad soft Japanese.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/world/asia/02japan.html
Prime Minister of Japan Tells Nation He Plans to Quit
Haruyoshi Yamaguchi/Bloomberg News
Yukio Hatoyama, Japan’s prime minister, center, plans to resign.
By M. AMEDEO TUMOLILLO
Published: June 1, 2010
Japan’s prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, told the nation in a televised address Wednesday that he plans to resign.
Related
Times Topics: Yukio Hatoyama | Japan
His announcement came after his approval ratings dipped in recent weeks. He recently reneged on a prominent campaign promise by announcing that an American air base would be moved only to the north side of Okinawa rather than off the island. But in announcing his intention to leave, he blamed a failure to remove the influence of money from politics.
“The relationship with politics and money was what I wanted to say farewell to in Democratic Party politics,” Mr. Hatoyama said, according to a live translation of his address by Japan’s NHK television. “Because of this I myself will have to resign the post as prime minister.”
In national elections in 2009, Mr. Hatoyama’s Democratic Party roundly defeated the incumbent Liberal Democratic Party, ending a half-century of virtually uninterrupted one-party rule in the country.
Mr. Hatoyama’s election then came on a tide of voter dissatisfaction, after three bumbling Liberal Democratic leaders lasted a year or less in office, and Japan was hit hard by the global economic slowdown.
Before his address Wednesday, Mr. Hatoyama told senior officials of the ruling Democratic Party of his plans to resign, according to NHK, which first reported the news.
The prime minister has faced growing pressure from within his own party to resign ahead of July elections.
In his live address to the nation, Mr. Hatoyama spoke extensively about the relocation of U.S. marine base in Okinawa, saying he still supports moving the base off the island in the future, but security reasons prevented it for now.
"Japan and the U.S. must maintain a strong alliance, not just for Japan, but also for peace and stability of eastern Asia," he said. "In order to uphold this alliance, it is very unfortunate, but I had to ask Okinawa to continue to shoulder this burden."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/world/asia/02japan.html
Prime Minister of Japan Tells Nation He Plans to Quit
Haruyoshi Yamaguchi/Bloomberg News
Yukio Hatoyama, Japan’s prime minister, center, plans to resign.
By M. AMEDEO TUMOLILLO
Published: June 1, 2010
Japan’s prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, told the nation in a televised address Wednesday that he plans to resign.
Related
Times Topics: Yukio Hatoyama | Japan
His announcement came after his approval ratings dipped in recent weeks. He recently reneged on a prominent campaign promise by announcing that an American air base would be moved only to the north side of Okinawa rather than off the island. But in announcing his intention to leave, he blamed a failure to remove the influence of money from politics.
“The relationship with politics and money was what I wanted to say farewell to in Democratic Party politics,” Mr. Hatoyama said, according to a live translation of his address by Japan’s NHK television. “Because of this I myself will have to resign the post as prime minister.”
In national elections in 2009, Mr. Hatoyama’s Democratic Party roundly defeated the incumbent Liberal Democratic Party, ending a half-century of virtually uninterrupted one-party rule in the country.
Mr. Hatoyama’s election then came on a tide of voter dissatisfaction, after three bumbling Liberal Democratic leaders lasted a year or less in office, and Japan was hit hard by the global economic slowdown.
Before his address Wednesday, Mr. Hatoyama told senior officials of the ruling Democratic Party of his plans to resign, according to NHK, which first reported the news.
The prime minister has faced growing pressure from within his own party to resign ahead of July elections.
In his live address to the nation, Mr. Hatoyama spoke extensively about the relocation of U.S. marine base in Okinawa, saying he still supports moving the base off the island in the future, but security reasons prevented it for now.
"Japan and the U.S. must maintain a strong alliance, not just for Japan, but also for peace and stability of eastern Asia," he said. "In order to uphold this alliance, it is very unfortunate, but I had to ask Okinawa to continue to shoulder this burden."
