(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-09-13 11:17

Tokyo - Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is likely to pick a successor to outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sept 19, public broadcaster NHK reported on Wednesday.

The party will pick a new leader, who will be the new prime minister because his party leads Japan's ruling coalition.

Abe abruptly announced on Wednesday his resignation after a year in power dogged by scandals, an election rout and a crisis over Japan's support for US-led operations in Afghanistan.