Indications after months of controversy that Japan's Prime Minister, Mr Yoshiro Mori, is finally to resign have been greeted with huge relief in Tokyo. The gaffe-prone Prime Minister has proved to be deeply unpopular, politically inept and a liability in his 11 short months at the helm.
Only in Japan, where saving face means everything, would a disgraced leader be allowed an honourable exit such as the one worked out by Mr Mori with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leaders on Saturday.
He has been given a month's grace by agreeing to bring forward the election of president of the LDP from September to April. He will step down as Prime Minister as soon as a new party leader is elected, probably early next month.
It is hoped that his decision to go will offer short-term relief to the economy, which is on the brink of crisis. The stock market is at a 15-year low, bankruptcies and unemployment are at record levels, and interest rates are almost at zero.
But after 10 prime ministers in 13 years, there is no great hope that a new leader will be enough to restore faith in Japan's political system.
For a start, there is no obvious successor on the horizon. The man seen in the West as the best hope for Japan's economy, Mr Koichi Kato, mounted a premature leadership challenge earlier this year.
At a time when Japan needs a courageous and credible leader, the country's political system has shown itself incapable of change. Twelve packages in the last 10 years have failed to reverse the economic decline.
Japan's conservatism and the failure of successive governments to embrace reform will make it difficult to change economic course. Reform has been slow partly because of the LDP's reliance on a production-led economy, where certain industries are given huge government help.
The US economic slowdown will add to Japan's troubles. This time there has to be a domestic solution and a strong leader to see it through.
During the next month's political vacuum, LDP executives will be choosing a successor behind the scenes. It will need to be a bold appointment to turn the country's fortunes around.
