Japanese PM resigns over Afghanistan

Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, has resigned.

[T]he final straw appears to have been the deadlock over Japan's controversial naval mission, which for six years has been providing fuel support for coalition forces in Afghanistan. The legislation allowing the Indian Ocean mission expires on November 1, and Abe had staked his job on parliament agreeing to extend it. (link)

See here for earlier blog entry on this development.