Chronology of key events leading to Hatoyama's resignation
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May 11 -- Japan's Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa confirms reports Japanese government does not intend to stick to its self- imposed deadline of May 31 to resolve the base issue.
May 1 -- Tokyo prosecutors seek to question Ozawa again over alleged inaccurate reporting of political funds.
May 13 -- Hatoyama says dispute over Okinawa base will likely not be settled by his self imposed end-of-May deadline and efforts to resolve the impasse will continue in June and possibly beyond.
May 21 -- Prosecutors decide for 2nd time not to indict Ozawa, after citizens panel finds Ozawa merits indictment over funds scandal.
May 21 -- U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton visits Japan. Sources say she urged Hatoyama to resolve the base dispute expeditiously.
May 23 -- Hatoyama visits Okinawa again, tells Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima of plan to move Futenma to already planned area within Okinawa, offers apology.
May 24 -- Hatoyama says the importance of Japan's alliance with the U.S. was central to decision to relocate base within Okinawa Prefecture, despite his previous promises to the contrary.
May 26 -- Hatoyama says he believes ruling tripartite coalition will be maintained, despite Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Mizuho Fukushima, saying a departure from the Democratic Party of Japan-led (DPJ) bloc is possible.
May 27 -- Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano says joint statement likely to be issued by Japan and the United States will identify the coastal area of the Henoko district in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, as the relocation site for a U.S. Marine facility.
May 27 -- Hatoyama asks for support of prefectural governors in sharing Okinawa's burden of hosting U.S. forces in Japan.
May 28 -- Hatoyama says Japan and the U.S. have struck a fresh agreement on the relocation of a U.S. Marine base in Okinawa Prefecture.
May 28 -- SDP Chief Mizuho Fukushima asked by Hatoyama to resign from Cabinet.
May 30 -- SDP decides to leave coalition government.
May 31 -- Mizuho Fukushima, leader of the SDP says her party may support a no-confidence motion against the DPJ Cabinet.
June 1 -- Hatoyama reiterates he has no plans to quit, despite rising calls within his own party for him to step down.
June 2 -- Hatoyama announces resignation. Ozawa, all other DPJ executives decide to resign from party posts en masse.
