Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso reacts during a press conference at his Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. Aso said he would step down as president of the ruling party after taking responsibility for parliamentary election results. AP Photo logo AP Photo 3 months ago

Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso reacts during a press conference at his Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. Aso said he would step down as president of the ruling party after taking responsibility for parliamentary election results.

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  1. TOKYO - NOVEMBER 30: Japanese comedy group The Newspaper pose, as they mimic former Japanese Prime Ministers Junichiro Koizumi (L) and Taro Aso, for a stage greeting before the Japan Premiere of 'Capitalism: A Love Story' at Toho Cinemas Roppongi Hills on November 30, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. The film will open at a limited number of theaters in Tokyo and Osaka on December 5, and throughout the rest of Japan on January 9, 2010.
  2. Former Japanese finance minister Sadakazu Tanigaki (R) shakes hands with former prime minister and Japan's main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) ex-leader Taro Aso (L) after Tanigaki was elected as the new LDP party leader in Tokyo on September 28, 2009. Tanigaki replaces Aso, who stepped down as LDP president and prime minister after an August 30 election rout.
  3. Former Japanese finance minister Sadakazu Tanigaki (R) shakes hands with former prime minister and Japan's main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) ex-leader Taro Aso (L) after Tanigaki was elected as the new LDP party leader in Tokyo on September 28, 2009. Tanigaki replaces Aso, who stepped down as LDP president and prime minister after an August 30 election rout.
  4. This combo made on October 13, 2009 of three images shows (on top) two pictures of details of a freso found on a wall of a house in Civitavecchi near Rome and (bottom), Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (R) and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso giving a press conference on July 7, 2009 at Palazzo Chigi, the Prime Ministry in Rome, in front of a reproduction of the original fresco painted by renaissance master Raphael in the Room of Heliodorus at The Vatican. The fresco found in a bedroom of Palazzo Manzi in Civitavecchia is part of four frescos by an unknown artist, a Raphael's contemporary.
  5. New President of the Liberal Democratic Party Sadakazu Tanigaki, second from right, shakes hands with his predecessor and former Prime Minister Taro Aso, second from left, and two other LDP presidential election candidates, Taro Kono, right, and Yasutoshi Nishimura, after Tanigaki was chosen as the party leader during the LDP parliamentarian meeting at the party headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Sept. 28, 2009.
  6. New President of the Liberal Democratic Party Sadakazu Tanigaki, right, shakes hands with his predecessor and former Prime Minister Taro Aso after he was chosen as the party leader during the LDP parliamentarian meeting at the party headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Sept. 28, 2009. Japan's former ruling party elected former Finance Minister Tanigaki, 64, as its new leader, and he vowed to bring the once-dominant Liberal Democrats back to power.
  7. Former Japanese finance minister Sadakazu Tanigaki (2nd R) joins hands with former prime minister Taro Aso (2nd L) and two other candidates Yasutoshi Nishimura (L) and Taro Kono (R) as Tanigaki is elected as Japan's main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader at the party headquarters in Tokyo on September 28, 2009. Tanigaki replaces Aso, who stepped down as LDP president and prime minister after an August 30 election rout.
  8. Former Japanese finance minister Sadakazu Tanigaki (C) bows his head as Japan's main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers applaud as Tanigaki is elected as the new LDP party leader in Tokyo on September 28, 2009. Tanigaki replaces Taro Aso, who stepped down as LDP president and prime minister after an August 30 election rout.
  9. Former finance minister Sadakazu Tanigaki (C) and Japan's main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) executives raise their hands for banzai cheers as Tanigaki is elected as their new party leader in Tokyo on September 28, 2009. Tanigaki replaces Taro Aso, who stepped down as LDP president and prime minister after an August 30 election rout.
  10. Former Japanese finance minister Sadakazu Tanigaki smiles after he was elected the new leader of Japan's main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Tokyo on September 28, 2009. Tanigaki replaces Taro Aso, who stepped down as LDP president and prime minister after an August 30 election rout.
  11. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmaker Sadakazu Tanigaki (2nd R) shakes hands with former prime minister Taro Aso (2nd L) and LDP presidential election candidates Taro Kono (R) and Yasutoshi Nishimura after Tanigaki was chosen as the party president during the LDP parliamentarian meeting at the party headquarters in Tokyo September 28, 2009. Japan's defeated Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Monday picked Tanigaki, a former finance minister as its new leader, handing him the challenge of rebuilding a battered party that had ruled for most of the past 54 years.
  12. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmaker Sadakazu Tanigaki (R) shakes hands with former prime minister Taro Aso after Tanigaki was chosen as the party president during the LDP parliamentarian meeting at the party headquarters in Tokyo September 28, 2009. Japan's defeated Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Monday picked Tanigaki, a former finance minister as its new leader, handing him the challenge of rebuilding a battered party that had ruled for most of the past 54 years.
  13. Yasutoshi Nishimura, one of three candidates for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election scheduled on Sept. 28, speaks during a press conference with two others at the party headquarters in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 18, 2009. Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's Democratic party of Japan overthrew the long-ruling LDP. led by former Prime Minister Taro Aso, in historic elections late last month.
  14. Taro Kono, one of three candidates for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election scheduled on Sept. 28, speaks during a press conference with two others at the party headquarters in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 18, 2009. Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's Democratic party of Japan overthrew the long-ruling LDP. led by former Prime Minister Taro Aso, in historic elections late last month.
  15. Sadakazu Tanigaki, one of three candidates for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election scheduled on Sept. 28 speaks during a press conference with two others at the party headquarters in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 18, 2009. Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's Democratic party of Japan overthrew the long-ruling LDP, led by former Prime Minister Taro Aso, in historic elections late last month.
  16. Sitting under a sign reading: The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election: The first step to rebirth, three candidates for the election scheduled on Sept. 28, from left, Sadakazu Tanigaki, Taro Kono and Yasutoshi Nishimura, attend a press conference at the party headquarters in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 18, 2009. Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's Democratic party of Japan overthrew the long-ruling LDP, led by former Prime Minister Taro Aso, in historic elections late last month.

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