Prime Minister Taro Aso pauses during a press conference at LDP headquarters on Monday.
REUTERS

Aso says he will step down as LDP president

Monday 31st August, 03:19 PM JST

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bgaudry at 04:55 PM JST - 31st August

I'll miss the guy. Mind you at his age he was always going to struggle having an election for a whole day.
gogogo at 05:22 PM JST - 31st August

Gee Aso is seriously tanned...
apecNetworks at 05:38 PM JST - 31st August

Ironically, PM Aso was a 5star success on the global economic stage, but the election, as well as politics is "local". Japan, as well as the DPJ will benefit regionally, as well as internationally b/c of the "sacrifice" Team Aso made to stabilize the global economy. Team Aso "crashed and burned", but got the job done - kao ga hiroi.
frontandcentre at 06:00 PM JST - 31st August

good riddance
Betting at 06:31 PM JST - 31st August

"Not as nationalistic as he threatened to be".

To be honest, that was one of the reasons why I really didn't want him to be PM in the first place. And during his time as PM, he wasn't as hawkish as I thought he would be, something I completely forgot about. I'll think I'll need to rethink a little about him. A good point you brought up Altria.
kavikahi at 06:41 PM JST - 31st August

He appeared rather relieved to step down actually.
Noripinhead at 07:08 PM JST - 31st August

The man had a stubborn will to hang on, I'll give him that. He was like super glue and lasted a long time after his day in the sun was done. But the National Manga Museum will probably not see the light of day now.
buggerlugs at 07:28 PM JST - 31st August

At least he got his wish. He'll always be remember, as a prime minister in office who shouldve stepped down long before he did. And it's not fair just to blame the Brits as Americas only lackey in the global destruction. I seem to remember a few other countries banks had problems too... But we were the biggest brown nosers to the US:(. Shame on us.
sappquest at 09:19 PM JST - 31st August

He did get to be the 'first foreign leader' to meet Obama after he became president. Aso will probably remember that on his down days.
Foxie at 09:55 PM JST - 31st August

Yes, the National Manga Museum....what a pity! I am sure he will keep his good friendship with Berlusconi...they seem to be thinking on the same level. Time to relax for him at Berlusconi's villa. All the best to him!
shufu at 10:26 PM JST - 31st August

i like Aso. He did a fair job in poor circumstances, and some of his bloopers really made me giggle ...

id much rather have him back than this new dude ...
DenDon at 10:32 PM JST - 31st August

He did a fair job in poor circumstances

eeeeeeh? usssooooo darou
Simon_Foston at 10:52 PM JST - 31st August

Aso can't take the sole blame for the disaster that's befallen the LDP. He might have had some success at bringing Japan out of recession but to people who are more concerned about jobs, salaries, healthcare and pensions that kind of thing is pretty abstract and unimportant. Moreover he failed to understand that Koizumi had whetted the public appetite for charismatic leaders who had clear agendas and weren't afraid to step on toes to get what they wanted; he clearly thought that playing to the LDP base would work out just as it had always done in the past. He did a poor job in poor circumstances, but who elected him to do that job? His fellow LDP members. They are just as responsible as Aso, if not more so. Fortunately, 184 or so of them have been forced to pay the price.
smithinjapan at 01:13 AM JST - 1st September

In some of the media replays I ALMOST felt sorry for the guy.

That being said, I want to thank Altria, as another poster did, for bringing up the point that when Aso actually took the reigns of power he dropped some of the discriminatory behaviour I thought was going to plague the country once he was in control. Only a short time before becoming PM he was 'thanking' China for the poison dumplings because it increased the value of local foods, etc. He didn't seem to carry that with him to PM.

Still, it was high time to say goodbye, and it's still good riddance.
sfjp330 at 02:45 AM JST - 1st September

Japanese political arena is like a sad revolving door. One comes in and another leaves to the sunset. This has been going on for over a decade and it's getting old. Problem with Japan leaders are that there is no support by public or govenment representative for one leader, regardless if the economy is going well or not. There is constant bickering and back stabbing everyday. Aso inherited this massive problems of Japan and tried his best to correct it with minimum support from the public. Next leader will receive a same reception and honeymoon will be short lived.