Japan's Prime Minister and leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Taro Aso leaves after speaking to journalists at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo August 30, 2009 after a lower house election.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    TOKYO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister Taro Aso, who doubles as president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said Monday that he will step down as LDP president.

    At a press conference, Aso said that he means to do so to take the blame for the LDP' s defeat in Sunday's lower house election.

Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso attends a press conference at the headquarters of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Tokyo, Aug. 31, 2009. Taro Aso resigned on Monday as LDP chief.(Xinhua/Ren Zhenglai) Photo Gallery>>>

    The defeat was caused by the LDP' s failure to appropriately address social problems, including Japan's expanding social disparity, and criticism against himself, he said.

    On Sunday, Aso expressed his intention to resign as party chief after the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) scored a landslide victory over the LDP in the general election.

    The 68-year-old politician assumed the premiership last September following the abrupt resignation of his predecessor, Yasuo Fukuda.

Japanese Prime Minister and leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Taro Aso (R) bows next to the party's General Council Chairman Takashi Sasagawa at the start of a news conference at the party's headquarters in Tokyo August 30, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Voter turnout hits record 69% in Japan's lower house election

    TOKYO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Voter turnout hit record highs of 69.28 percent in single-seat districts and of 69.27 percent in proportional representation segments in Sunday's House of Representatives election, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said Monday.

    That a record number of voters cast early ballots before Sunday was believed to be the key factor behind the record turnout, which topped the previous respective highs of 67.51 percent and 67.46 percent in the last general election four years ago.Full story

Japan heads for two-party politics, uncertainties remain

     TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The voters have spoken, and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has been ousted in favor of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). But now a relatively young political organization has the task of attempting to govern a country crippled by an economic crisis and the grayest population on the planet.

    Final count from TV Asahi showed the DPJ won 308 seats out of the total of 480, compared with the LDP's 119. Full story

Opposition DPJ wins Japan's lower house election by landslide

   TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) won Sunday's general election by landslide victory, sweeping the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) out of almost unbroken power since 1955 to usher in a new era of Japanese politics.

    The DPJ secured 308 seats in the powerful 480-seat House of Representatives. The LDP, by contrast, won only 119 seats and its smaller ally New Komeito won 21 seats. Three other parties in the opposition bloc, Social Democratic Party, the Japanese Communist Party and the People's New Party won seven, nine and three seats respectively. according to broadcaster TV Asahi. Full story

DPJ wins 308 seats in Japan's 480-seat lower house election 

  

The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) leader Yukio Hatoyama speaks during a news conference after his party won the lower house election in Tokyo August 31, 2009. The DPJ is set to win Sunday's general election by landslide, sweeping the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) out of almost unbroken power since 1955 to usher in a new era of Japanese politics, showed by the exit polls. (Xinhua/Ren Zhenglai) Photo Gallery>>>

    TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) won 308 seats in Sunday's 480-seat lower house election, sweeping the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) out of almost unbroken power since 1955, according to broadcaster TV Asahi.

    LDP gained 119 seats and its smaller ally New Komeito won 21 seats. Three other parties in the opposition bloc, Social Democratic Party, the Japanese Communist Party and the People's New Party won seven, nine and three seats respectively. Full story

Japan's opposition DPJ begins preparations for new gov't: report

TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) began preparations for a new administration on Sunday evening as the DPJ was set to score a landslide victory in the lower house election, Kyodo News reported, citing DPJ party members.

DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama held talks with acting presidents Naoto Kan and Ichiro Ozawa in Tokyo on issues concerning the transfer of government from the administration of Prime Minister Taro Aso. Full story

Democratic Party of Japan wins 241 seats of lower house: NHK

    TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Party of Japan has so far won 241 seats of the 480 seats in the lower house of parliament election on Sunday, according to the count of NHK. Full story

Aso says he will quit as LDP chief

Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso said in a televised press conference late Sunday that he will quit as president of the Liberal Democratic Party following the defeat in the general election based on exit polls. Full story

LDP heavyweights ousted in Japan polls


    TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Japan's electorate have booted long-established senior Liberal Democratic Party politicians in an election Sunday that saw both former Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu, former Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa, former Defense Minister Taku Yamasaki and former Foreign Minister Taro Nakayama lose their seats, according to reports by Kyodo News and NHK. Full story

Aso, Hatoyama make final pleas on last election campaign day in Tokyo

    TOKYO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and opposition leader Yukio Hatoyama made their final pleas to win voters' support on the eve of Sunday's general election, in which Japan may see a change of power for only the second time since 1955.

    "In the past, you may have thought your ballot didn't help change politics, but in this election it's not (the case)," Hatoyama, who could become Japan's next prime minister if his Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) wins the House of Representatives election, told a large crowd in Tokyo's Ikebukuro Station, according to Kyodo News and NHK. Full story

Backgrounder: Japan's House of Representatives electoral system

    TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Voting on Japan's House of Representatives, or the lower house of parliament, is held on Sunday. The following are some facts about Japan's lower house electoral system:

    -- The House of Representatives has a total of 480 seats, comprising 300 in single-seat districts and 180 under the proportional-representation system in 11 regional blocks. Full story

Backgrounder: Facts and highlights about Japan's general election

    TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Voting on Japan's House of Representatives, or the lower house of the parliament, is held on Sunday. The following are some facts and highlights about Japan's general election:

    -- A total of 1,374 people filed their candidacies with election boards to vie for the 480 lower house seats -- 300 for single seat districts and 180 for proportional- representation constituencies. Full story

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