Japan's Tanaka to leave LDP

Makiko Tanaka, a fierce critic of Japan's prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, has said she will leave her ruling Liberal Democratic Party, although her resignation has yet to be accepted.

Mrs Tanaka is expected to run as an independent in the upcoming general elections on 9 November.

Correspondents say she is one of the few politicians in Japan capable of rivalling Mr Koizumi in popularity.

Mrs Tanaka was once a close ally of Mr Koizumi, but he fired her over a series of public disputes she was said to have had with subordinates, and diplomatic embarrassments.

Mrs Tanaka then stepped down from parliament amidst allegations of fraud and accusations that she misappropriated staff salaries, though prosecutors have since dropped their case against her.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service