Published: Aug 26, 2011 4:45 PM EDT  TOKYO (AP) - Japanese Prime
Minister Naoto Kan announced Friday he would resign after almost
15 months in office amid plunging approval ratings over his
government's handling of the tsunami disaster and nuclear
crisis. In a nationally televised speech, Kan said he was
stepping down as chief of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan
and would officially quit as prime minister after the ruling
party votes Monday to pick a new leader - the country's sixth
prime minister in five years. Japan has been plagued by high
turnover in political leadership at a time when the country
faces huge problems, including an aging population, bulging debt
and stagnant economy - and now reconstruction from the worst
disaster to hit the country since World War II. Former Foreign
Minister Seiji Maehara, a 49-year-old expert in defense and a
China hawk, is viewed as the front-runner to replace Kan.
Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Trade Minister Banri Kaieda
are also viewed as contenders. The dec