Japan's prime minister steps down over US base row
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Embattled Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said Wednesday he was resigning after just eight months in office, largely because of his broken campaign promise to move a US Marine base off the southern island of Okinawa.
The prime minister faced growing pressure from within his own party to step down ahead of July's upper house elections. His approval ratings had plummeted over his bungled handling of the relocation of the Marine Air Station Futenma, which reinforced his public image as an indecisive leader. (AP)
