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JAPAN-POLITICS/HATOYAMA-OZAWA (URGENT, REPEAT)

RPT-Japan PM Hatoyama says to resign, Ozawa to quit

TOKYO, June 2 (Reuters) - Unpopular Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said on Wednesday he would resign, as the ruling party struggles to revive its chances in an upper house election expected in July.

He said ruling party kingpin Ichiro Ozawa would also resign from the party’s No.2 post.

Pressure has mounted in Hatoyama’s Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) for the premier to step down after just eight months in the job to revive the party’s chances in an upper house election expected on July 11 that it must win to smooth policymaking. (Reporting by Yoko Nishikawa and Kiyoshi Takenaka)

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