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| Hatoyama takes over as Japan PM | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Japan's parliament has formally confirmed Yukio Hatoyama as the country's 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. |
| For his part, Mr Aso said: "I did my best for the sake of Japan, in a very short period... but unfortunately, I am stepping down halfway through." | For his part, Mr Aso said: "I did my best for the sake of Japan, in a very short period... but unfortunately, I am stepping down halfway through." |
| Mr Hatoyama's next step is to formally appoint his new cabinet. | |
| He has already named former DPJ leader Katsuya Okada as foreign minister, and local reports suggest Hirohisa Fujii has been given the finance portfolio. | He has already named former DPJ leader Katsuya Okada as foreign minister, and local reports suggest Hirohisa Fujii has been given the finance portfolio. |
| Another former DPJ leader, Naoto Kan, is expected to head a new National Strategy Bureau set up to oversee the bureaucracy. | Another former DPJ leader, Naoto Kan, is expected to head a new National Strategy Bureau set up to oversee the bureaucracy. |
| Limits reached | Limits reached |
| Mr Hatoyama must tackle a rapidly ageing society and an economy still struggling after a brutal recession, the BBC's Roland Buerk in Tokyo says. | |
| Will Japan's global ties change? Challenge ahead for Hatoyama | Will Japan's global ties change? Challenge ahead for Hatoyama |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| "It was extremely effective in developing Japan into a very rich, very important nation," he said, "but it had reached its limits." | "It was extremely effective in developing Japan into a very rich, very important nation," he said, "but it had reached its limits." |
| "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 so far given little idea of how it will be paid for. | Mr Hatoyama's DPJ has promised to increase social security, but has so far given little idea of how it will be paid for. |
| 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 | Mr Aso's staff bade him farewell as he formally left office |
| Opinion polls have shown many people did not vote for the DPJ because of their policies - but because they wanted change. | 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. | |
| 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 of the DPJ. | "I'd like them to show us their vision of Japan as soon as possible," he said of the DPJ. |
| "We are faced with great problems, such as the world's fastest ageing 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 - governing Japan - begins, 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 - governing Japan - begins, our correspondent says. |