Nation stunned as Fukuda abruptly decides to quit

Tuesday 02nd September, 07:24 AM JST

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fatloser at 11:11 AM JST - 2nd September

Grid yourselves for a consumption tax hike. It is in the making. They just have to find the right sucker to announce it.
SpecialReportUS at 11:21 AM JST - 2nd September

I guess Fukuda jumped from the sinking ship LDP, before it sunk even further. He doesnt want to be the guy blamed for the partys demise.

Let Aso take the blame, after all he is a complete ass.
OgieDoggie at 12:59 PM JST - 2nd September

I quest that old saying is true ... When the going gets tuff the tuff get going (and the whimps jump ship!)
dennis0bauer at 01:09 PM JST - 2nd September

mygod will that mean aso will be the next prime minister?
Richard_III at 01:17 PM JST - 2nd September

The LDP are so stale. I wish there was an opportunity for a different government to emerge over the change of leadership, rather than something being stitched together in Nagatacho.
Hughgarse at 02:07 PM JST - 2nd September

What a princess... where did he park his pram???
Xennon at 03:05 PM JST - 2nd September

I wonder if this will impact the currency...

To the FOREXmobile!!!!
Sarge at 03:15 PM JST - 2nd September

"Nation stunned"

This is accurate. Two young women being interviewed, upon being told of Fukuda's resignation, kept repeating "Nande! Nande!"
ultradodgy at 03:22 PM JST - 2nd September

Yes, we was very stable compared with his mentally imbalanced, totally incompetent predecessor.
Statistician at 04:41 PM JST - 2nd September

LDP is down the pan. Japan seriously needs a change.
okapake at 07:52 PM JST - 2nd September

Fukuda is/was a wimp! Nice exit though - I'm quitting for the good of the country.
Rodolfo at 05:25 AM JST - 3rd September

i think this is a bad desition.i hope japan find a good leader too is time ford repair the economy. long live japan.
vawiha at 10:09 AM JST - 3rd September

You know a country is in trouble when no one wants the No. 1 job.
imgold at 09:51 PM JST - 3rd September

"Nation stunned" ? Surely you jest ! Every single Japanese in my office that I talked to had absolutely no interest, they couldn't care less about Japanese politics... yes I know, there-in lies the problem. The Japanese have become so accustomed to poor leadership that they actually accept it now as the norm. I mean 11 Prime ministers in 15 years is a bit much. Funny though, you should have seen how sour the faces got at work when I started to explain to them how stupid this all makes Japan look to the outside world, and how Japan's economy has mirrored every change of leadership over the past 15 years. The vast majority that I talked to never put the two together, "leadership-economy" "economy-leadership" ! I then went for the throat explaining how all Asian nations will experience moderate to very good economic growth this fiscal year... except for Japan ! Boy that hurt !
mikihouse at 10:00 AM JST - 8th September

nation stunned...this should be in the entertainment section. Almost everybody is expecting him to resign, what really stunned the nation is how he clinged to power for such a long time. He was a goner from the time he stepped into the office. No vision, no leadership capabilities, no direction...man he even told the Olympic delegates in Beijing that I know you can't do it but just do your best (the athletes were so embarassed and insulted), I think he is speaking for himself. He waited for the Olympics to end so that eh can get cozy with China for a while then resigned onced his dream of Beijing and hosting the world summit ended. PATHETIC