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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Hatoyama to take over as Japan PM | Hatoyama to take over as Japan PM |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Japan's parliament is meeting to formally name Yukio Hatoyama as the next prime minister. | |
| His Democratic Party of Japan won a huge poll victory last month, ending more than 50 years of almost unbroken rule by the Liberal Democratic Party. | His Democratic Party of Japan won a huge poll victory last month, ending more than 50 years of almost unbroken rule by the Liberal Democratic Party. |
| Prime Minister Taro Aso and his entire cabinet resigned early on Wednesday to pave the way for Mr Hatoyama's centre-left government. | Prime Minister Taro Aso and his entire cabinet resigned early on Wednesday to pave the way for Mr Hatoyama's centre-left government. |
| "I am excited by the prospect of changing history," Mr Hatoyama said. | "I am excited by the prospect of changing history," Mr Hatoyama said. |
| Mr Hatoyama must tackle a rapidly aging society and an economy still struggling after a brutal recession, the BBC's Roland Buerk in Tokyo says. | Mr Hatoyama must tackle a rapidly aging society and an economy still struggling after a brutal recession, the BBC's Roland Buerk in Tokyo says. |
| He won the election by pledging to break the power of the old order's bureaucrats, big business and the LDP - which dominated since the end of the World War II, our correspondent says. | He won the election by pledging to break the power of the old order's bureaucrats, big business and the LDP - which dominated since the end of the World War II, our correspondent says. |
| Limits reached | Limits reached |
| Professor Phil Deans, from Temple University in Tokyo, said people had become tired of the old system. | Professor Phil Deans, from Temple University in Tokyo, said people had become tired of the old system. |
| What lies ahead for Japan? | What lies ahead for Japan? |
| "It was extremely effective in developing Japan into a very rich, very important nation," he said. | "It was extremely effective in developing Japan into a very rich, very important nation," he said. |
| "But it had reached its limits, it had reached the end of the developmental logic that underpinned post war Japan. | "But it had reached its limits, it had reached the end of the developmental logic that underpinned post war Japan. |
| "The trouble is now its time for reform, everyone agrees reform is good, but where does Japan go next? What is the next model?" | "The trouble is now its time for reform, everyone agrees reform is good, but where does Japan go next? What is the next model?" |
| Mr Hatoyama's DPJ has promised to increase social security, but has given little idea of how it will be paid for, our correspondent says. | Mr Hatoyama's DPJ has promised to increase social security, but has given little idea of how it will be paid for, our correspondent says. |
| There is also talk of a more assertive diplomacy towards the country's main ally, the United States. | There is also talk of a more assertive diplomacy towards the country's main ally, the United States. |
| Mr Aso's staff bade him farewell as he formally left office | |
| But opinion polls have shown many people did not vote for the DPJ because of their policies - but because they wanted change. | But opinion polls have shown many people did not vote for the DPJ because of their policies - but because they wanted change. |
| Japan's economy has been stumbling - the population is ageing and declining. | Japan's economy has been stumbling - the population is ageing and declining. |
| Keisuke Kurihara is soon to graduate from the elite University of Tokyo. He already has a job lined up as a diplomat but even he feels the need for a new direction. | Keisuke Kurihara is soon to graduate from the elite University of Tokyo. He already has a job lined up as a diplomat but even he feels the need for a new direction. |
| "I'd like them to show us their vision of Japan as soon as possible," he said. | "I'd like them to show us their vision of Japan as soon as possible," he said. |
| "We are faced with great problems, such as the world's fastest aging society and piling national debts. These problems need to be addressed for decades to come." | "We are faced with great problems, such as the world's fastest aging society and piling national debts. These problems need to be addressed for decades to come." |
| In defeating the LDP, Yukio Hatoyama has already achieved what many people thought for years was impossible. But now the difficult part begins, governing Japan, our correspondent says. | In defeating the LDP, Yukio Hatoyama has already achieved what many people thought for years was impossible. But now the difficult part begins, governing Japan, our correspondent says. |