In Japan, Yoshihiko Noda was elected as the new Prime Minister today following the majority of votes in elections held at the House of Representatives, which is more powerful in the Diet or parliament. Noda becomes Japan's sixth Prime Minister since 2006. The vote came after the 54-year-old former finance minister secured the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party in a run-off on Monday. Ex-PM Naoto Kan, was criticised for his handling of the March quake, formally resigned with his cabinet beforehand.Earlier, Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his cabinet resigned at the end of an extraordinary cabinet meeting.