Naoto Kan announced Monday that he will resign as chief of the Democratic Party of Japan over his past failure to pay mandatory state pension premiums.
Kan tendered his resignation as head of the nation's main opposition party at a meeting of DPJ lawmakers from both Diet chambers Monday evening. The DPJ hopes to hold a party presidential election by Friday.
The meeting was held to discuss the party's earlier agreement with the ruling coalition to amend government-sponsored pension reform bills before putting them to a vote at the House of Representatives.