Tokyo's governor Shintaro Ishihara is resigning to form a new national political party, ahead of expected general elections in Japan, according to BBC News.

"As of today, I will resign as the Tokyo governor," he told reporters.

The 80-year-old, serving his fourth term as governor, is known for making provocative comments.

Earlier this year, he sparked off a row when he said he would use public money to buy a group of islands at the centre of a dispute between China and Japan.

The novelist-turned-politician, who began his current term as governor only last April, said he wants to return to national politics.

He said he would be founding a party with other right-wing politicians to challenge the two dominant parties in polls that must be called by the end of next year.

He blamed Japan's current economic and political problems on the government and compared the administration to the rule of the shogun, referring to the hereditary commanders-in-chief in feudal Japan.

"We must change the inflexible rule of the central government bureaucrats," Ishihara said.