Japan opposition party dissolved

Japan's main opposition leader, Ichiro Ozawa, says he is dissolving his New Frontier Party and is planning to form his own smaller political grouping.

Reports from Tokyo say Mr Ozawa intends to take with him a group of loyalists to set up a new party next month.

The New Frontier Party was founded three years ago to rival the governing Liberal Democrats and Mr Ozawa was re-elected as the party's leader earlier this month.

But he has been coming under increasing pressure to step down; his critics say he's led the party to a succession of elections defeats.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service