Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has informed his party executives that he will not be participating in the upcoming party leadership vote in September. According to reports from Japan’s NHK public television and other media outlets, this decision confirms that Japan will soon have a new prime minister.
Kishida was elected as the president of the Liberal Democratic Party in 2021, and his term is set to end in September. With his withdrawal from the race, the next leader who emerges victorious in the party vote will take over as the prime minister, given that the LDP holds the majority in both houses of parliament.
Facing challenges due to his party’s involvement in corruption scandals, Kishida has seen a decline in his public support, with approval ratings dropping to less than 20%.
