Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda gestures as he arrives at the premier's official residence in Tokyo August 2, 2008

TOKYO, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda announced his decision to resign Monday.

At a hastily-summoned press conference at the prime minister's official residence in the evening, Fukuda said he met a lot of difficulties in his term and called for a new framework to implement policies.

Fukuda was elected president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and assumed the post of prime minister last September.