Tokyo, Jan 6 : Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama Wednesday asked Deputy Prime Minister Naoto Kan to take over the finance ministry after the resignation of the incumbent.

Hirohisa Fujii told Hatoyama Tuesday that he wanted to resign due to his health problems. The 77-year-old minister also told reporters he was exhausted after his work on the budget.

The premier had originally asked Fujii to stay on.

Kan accepted the premier's offer of the post, the Kyodo News agency reported.(DPA)