P.M resigns after less than one year in office

On 1 September 2008 Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda unexpectedly resigned after being in office for less than a year. Fukuda announced that he wanted to leave office so that a more popular successor could take over, as he has garnered little public support. The country has been experiencing political instability for two years. The decision to resign came shortly after the government announced that a stimulus package will be offered to boost consumer spending. The man most likely to replace Fukuda is Taro Aso, secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Elections for a new party president will take place on 22 September.