Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso will resign as president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Sept. 16 before the lower house elects the next prime minister in a special Diet session, Kyodo News reported Tuesday, citing party officials.

"Not only will my Cabinet resign en masse but I will also resign as party president," Aso was quoted as telling LDP executives at a meeting.

On Aug. 31, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) snatched 308 of 480 seats in historic lower house election, ending more than 50 years of almost unbroken rule by the LDP.

DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama is set to be elected new prime minister at the special Diet session.

Following the DPJ's landslide victory, Aso said he would step down as the party chief to bear responsibility for the LDP's defeat in the election.

(Xinhua News Agency September 8, 2009)