Ishihara leaves office

Ishihara leaves office

TOKYO, Japan - Shintaro Ishihara carries a bouquet of flowers as he leaves the metropolitan government hall in Tokyo on Oct. 31, 2012. His resignation as Tokyo governor was approved earlier the same day at an extraordinary session of the metropolitan assembly, bringing to an end his roughly 13-and-a-half-year career as head of the metropolitan government.

Ishihara leaves office

Ishihara leaves office

TOKYO, Japan - Shintaro Ishihara carries a bouquet of flowers as he leaves the metropolitan government hall in Tokyo on Oct. 31, 2012. His resignation as Tokyo governor was approved earlier the same day at an extraordinary session of the metropolitan assembly, bringing to an end his roughly 13-and-a-half-year career as head of the metropolitan government.

Ishihara leaves office

Ishihara leaves office

TOKYO, Japan - Shintaro Ishihara carries a bouquet of flowers as he leaves the metropolitan government hall in Tokyo on Oct. 31, 2012. His resignation as Tokyo governor was approved earlier the same day at an extraordinary session of the metropolitan assembly, bringing to an end his roughly 13-and-a-half-year career as head of the metropolitan government.

Ishihara leaves office

Ishihara leaves office

TOKYO, Japan - Shintaro Ishihara carries a bouquet of flowers as he leaves the metropolitan government hall in Tokyo on Oct. 31, 2012. His resignation as Tokyo governor was approved earlier the same day at an extraordinary session of the metropolitan assembly, bringing to an end his roughly 13-and-a-half-year career as head of the metropolitan government.

Tokyo Gov. Ishihara's resignation accepted by assembly

Tokyo Gov. Ishihara's resignation accepted by assembly

TOKYO, Japan - Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara delivers a speech on his resignation at the metropolitan assembly in Tokyo on Oct. 31, 2012. His resignation was approved at an extraordinary session of the assembly, bringing to an end his roughly 13-and-a-half-year career as head of the metropolitan government.