Japanese LDP No.2 figure offers to resign

Shinzo Abe, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), on told Prime Minister and party president Junichiro Koizumi on September 24 that he would resign.

Koizumi has not given an explicit response to Abe's offer. Abe first raised the intention on Sept. 13, but Koizumi decided to put it off until after his visit to Brazil, Mexico and the United Nations.

Abe had said he wanted to step down from the prominent position to take responsibility for LDP's setback in the upper house election in July. The LDP garnered 49 seats, falling short of the 51-seat target.

Abe, 50, was promoted to the pivotal post in the LDP reshuffle last September. It is expected that he would grow into an influential politician, and even a promising prime minister candidate.

He is known as a firm advocate for the structural reforms launched by Koizumi, and as a hardliner on various foreign policies, including the relationship with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Koizumi is expected to reshuffle his cabinet and party leadership in the several days to come. The premier told Japanese reporters on Monday in New York that he will appoint a strong advocate of reform initiatives as the secretary general.

Source: Xinhua