Japanese PM says he will quit as LDP chief

TOKYO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister Taro Aso, who doubles as president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said Monday that he will step down as LDP president.

Japan's Prime Minister and leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Taro Aso leaves after speaking to journalists at the  LDP headquarters in Tokyo August 30, 2009 after a lower house election. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

At a press conference, Aso said that he means to do so to take the blame for the LDP' s defeat in Sunday's lower house election.

The defeat was caused by the LDP' s failure to appropriately address social problems, including Japan's expanding social disparity, and criticism against himself, he said.