Lee, who left for Tokyo last Friday on a six-day tour of Japan, refused to comment on the new Cabinet Wu Den-yih is forming.

Visiting the Castle of Kumamoto in Kyushu, President Lee said, “Public opinion compelled Liu Chao-shiuan to step down.” A recent popularity poll shows at least six out of every ten voters wanted Liu to resign.

“So many people died in the flood disaster of August 8,” Lee said, “and the premier simply had to take responsibility.”

The former president also made an implicit comment on his two successors, saying that nowadays presidents often treat themselves as emperors after getting elected and that “the smart one is too smart and the dumb one excessively so.”

Lee and his wife are expected to return to Taipei tomorrow.