Kishida said he will step down in September, ending a three-year term marred by political scandals and paving the way for a new premier to address the impact of rising prices.
"Politics cannot function without public trust," Kishida said in a press conference on Wednesday to announce his decision not to seek re-election as the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader.
He also said, "I will now focus on supporting the newly elected LDP leader as a rank-and-file member of the party."
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says he will step down next month, won’t run for re-election
By Yumi Asada, Hanako Montgomery, Junko Ogura and Alex Stambaugh, CNN
Updated 4:51 AM EDT, Wed August 14, 2024
“Transparent and open elections and a free and vigorous debate are more important than ever. The most obvious first step, to show that the LDP will change, is for me to step aside,” he said.
“I have made the heavy decision with a strong desire to move forward with political reform, because the people’s trust is what makes politics work.”
He had previously denied he would step down as party leader despite public criticism and sinking ratings.
His decision to quit comes a month before LDP elections are slated, with the date in September yet to be announced.
His successor will be tasked with leading the world’s fourth-largest economy at a time of increasing living costs, which have been exacerbated by the weak yen.
Japan has been at the center of US President Joe Biden’s alliance-building in the Asia-Pacific region. American officials have seen a willing partner in Kishida, who has significantly shifted the country’s defense posture in recent years and provided ongoing support to Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.
By Yumi Asada, Hanako Montgomery, Junko Ogura and Alex Stambaugh, CNN
Updated 4:51 AM EDT, Wed August 14, 2024
". . .He will not run for a second term as leader of the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party, following a series of political scandals that fueled calls for him to resign.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Kishida said it is necessary to present the LDP as a “changed party.”“Transparent and open elections and a free and vigorous debate are more important than ever. The most obvious first step, to show that the LDP will change, is for me to step aside,” he said.
“I have made the heavy decision with a strong desire to move forward with political reform, because the people’s trust is what makes politics work.”
The LDP, which has held power almost continuously since its founding in 1955, has in recent months been embroiled in one of Japan’s biggest political scandals in decades.
Kishida had tried to contain the damage, replacing several cabinet ministers last year.
- Two of the most influential factions in the LDP have been accused of failing to properly declare their income and expenditure and, in some instances, allegedly rerouting political funds to lawmakers as kickbacks.
Kishida had tried to contain the damage, replacing several cabinet ministers last year.
But that hasn’t done much to restore public support; one survey by the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper showed a historic high in public disapproval toward the cabinet, at 79%.
Concerns about Japan’s economy, including the weakening of the yen against the US dollar, have also undermined confidence in Kishida’s economic policies.He had previously denied he would step down as party leader despite public criticism and sinking ratings.
His decision to quit comes a month before LDP elections are slated, with the date in September yet to be announced.
His successor will be tasked with leading the world’s fourth-largest economy at a time of increasing living costs, which have been exacerbated by the weak yen.
Japan has been at the center of US President Joe Biden’s alliance-building in the Asia-Pacific region. American officials have seen a willing partner in Kishida, who has significantly shifted the country’s defense posture in recent years and provided ongoing support to Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.
Uploaded: Aug 13, 2024
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a press conference that it is important for the Liberal Democratic Party to have a new face in leadership and that a "first step" would be for him to step ...
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