This news isn’t really all that surprising considering his low poll numbers and recent electoral defeats:

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Wednesday he will resign, ending a year-old government that has suffered a string of damaging scandals and a humiliating electoral defeat.

Abe, said he was quitting to pave the way for ruling and opposition parties to work together to approve the extension of Tokyo’s naval mission in support of the U.S.-led operation in Afghanistan.

"In the present situation it is difficult to push ahead with effective policies that win the support and trust of the public," Abe said in a nationally televised news conference. "I have decided that we need a change in this situation."

Abe, a nationalist whose support rating has plunged to 30 percent, also cited the ruling party’s defeat in July 29 elections, in which the opposition took control of the upper house of parliament. [Chisaki Watanabe, AP]

The word is that former foreign minister Taro Aso is Abe’s most likely successor.  Whoever the next Prime Minister is I would be shocked if it caused any changes in the current Japanese government’s policies towards North Korea.  However, does it strike anyone as odd that he would resign over a political fight to extend a naval deployment where the Japanese Navy is just refueling ships?  I suspect there is more to this story. 

You can read more reactions to this news over at Japan Probe, Japundit, & Ampontan.

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