Kansai News

News reporters and other Japanese officials gathered at Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda’s official residence at his request to hear him speak about his resigning as Japanese Prime Minister. The meeting started at a little after 9:30pm.

Prime Minister Fukuda is the second Japanese prime minister to resign abruptly. Last year, Prime Minister Abe resigned abruptly supposedly because his health was failing. Now, Prime Minister Fukuda has resigned, not because of health problems, although he says his eyes are not what they once were, before or after taking office was never stated, but because he feels he can no longer contribute anything to benefit the country. He said he feels it is the best thing for the country for him to step down as Prime Minister and allow someone else who can benefit the country to fill his position.

Unfortunately for Japan, his resignation creates a temporary vacuum because no one can immediately step into his position. Neither he nor anyone else has any real idea who will take his place as Prime Minister of Japan. There are people who can step in and do his job, but whether or not they can do anything to help the Japanese economy or the country remains to be seen.

Mr. Fukuda said he had lost confidence in being able to get anything done based on his own abilities and those working with him. He stated that many in opposition to him were part of the reason behind his resignation.

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Read more about the author of this post: Kyle Yates is an American English teacher living and working in the Kansai area since 1996. Read more from this author

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