Japan PM Naoto Kan, cabinet resign

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his cabinet resigned on Tuesday, making way for Yoshihiko Noda, the outgoing finance minister, to be confirmed by parliament as the new premier later today.

At the end of an extraordinary cabinet meeting, the outgoing trade and industry minister Banri Kaieda confirmed to reporters that the entire group of ministers had stepped down, saying "Yes, all of them".