Tokyo - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan resigned on Friday after a little more than a year in office following the passage of two major pieces of legislation.
His successor is to be chosen next week, and the front runner is seen as former foreign minister Seiji Maehara.
Kan, 64, had promised to resign after the passage of the bills approving the issuance of deficit-covering government bonds and promoting renewable energy, which was done Friday.
His promise was made as he faced plummeting approval ratings for his government amid criticism of its disaster response and a struggling economy, opposition within his own party and a divided Diet.
The ruling Democratic Party of Japan was scheduled Monday to chose its new party chief, who is most likely to become the next premier in a Diet vote expected Tuesday because the party holds the majority in the Diet's powerful lower house.
The winner would become Japan's sixth prime minister in six years. - Sapa-dpa