Turbulent times

Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's resignation, announced Wednesday, is likely to churn the island nation's political establishment.

The expected turbulence, it is hoped, will be contained and efforts made to retain all of his major policies, especially in the foreign relations sphere.

Due to Hatoyama's flip-flop on the issue of relocating a US air base in Okinawa, support for his ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) had plummeted to an all-time low.