Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced that he will step down.

His approval ratings below 30% and facing a serious uphill battle to extend the country's refueling mission to support the U.S. led operations in Afghanistan, Abe gave up the fight.

"Abe said he has failed to get an agreement from the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan's President Ichiro Ozawa to hold a meeting over the extension issue," so, ''I made my determination today to step down,.'

Lots of political  rangling is going on including asking previous Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to take another turn.

While politicians criticized him for remaining in office, others blasted him for resigning.

Japan's ruling LDP secretary general Taro Aso seemed rather, um, saddened as made his way to a party meeting. 

Japanese stocks fell. but…most importantly…

Manga-, anime-, video game -related stocks made a noticeable rise on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

The world economy is so good right now, when it comes to "what difference does it make who's in charge in Japan?"

The answer is "none."