Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in a surprise move Wednesday, announced he will not run in the upcoming party leadership vote in September, paving the way for Japan to have a new prime minister.
Kishida was elected president of his governing Liberal Democratic Party in 2021 and his three-year term expires in September.
Whoever wins the party vote will succeed him as prime minister because the LDP controls both houses of parliament.
A new face is a chance for the party to show that it’s changing for the better, and Kishida said he will support the new leader.
“We need to clearly show an LDP reborn,” Kishida told a news conference Wednesday. “To show a changing LDP, the most obvious first step is for me to bow out.”
“I will not run for the upcoming party leadership election,” he said.
Stung by his party’s corruption scandals, Kishida has suffered dwindling support ratings that have dipped below 20%.
To achieve policies to tackle difficult situations in and outside Japan, regaining public trust in politics is crucial, Kishida said.
He called on aspiring party lawmakers to raise their hands to run for leadership and have active policy debate during the campaign.
