Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso told a news conference Monday that he will step down as leader of the country's ruling party after a crushing defeat in Sunday's parliamentary election.The Japanese leader apologized and took responsibility for the loss, which gave the opposition Democratic Party of Japan a landslide victory over the Liberal Democratic Party that had dominated Japanese politics for more than 50 years.
Opposition leader Yukio Hatoyama, who will almost certainly become the next prime minister, began talks Monday to select Cabinet ministers and form a new government.
