Partly cloudy with a high of 54 °F (12.2 °C). Winds variable at 4 to 6 mph (6.4 to 9.7 kph). Night - Cloudy with a 56% chance of precipitation. Winds variable at 4 to 6 mph (6.4 to 9.7 kph). The ...

Highs of 38.4 degrees were recorded in both the prefectural capital of Toyama and in Hatoyama, Saitama Prefecture. By noon, the mercury rose above 35 degrees at 150 locations across Japan.

The WSJ's Mariko Sanchanta and Dow Jones Newswires' Ken McCallum look at what the resignation of Yukio Hatoyama, Japan's prime minister, means for U.S.-Japan relations and for the markets.