Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced that he has no intention of participating in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election scheduled for September. This decision indicates that once the LDP elects a new leader, Kishida will step down from his position as prime minister.
In late September 2021, Fumio Kishida was elected as the 27th president (party chairman) of the LDP, with a term of three years that will expire this September. As a customary practice, the LDP will hold a leadership election before the end of the term.
Given that the LDP currently holds a majority of seats in both the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives, winning the party leadership election typically leads to becoming the next prime minister.
Therefore, Kishida’s confirmation of not entering the upcoming LDP leadership election in September also implies that he is not seeking re-election as prime minister.
At 11:30 a.m. local time in Japan, Kishida held a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office.
During the press conference, Kishida stated, “It is necessary to firmly demonstrate in front of the people that the LDP will change.” He emphasized that a clear sign of change would be his decision not to participate in the leadership election.
He further expressed, “I will continue to exert all my efforts as prime minister until the end of September.”
Kishida has been dedicated to political party reform, including dissolving factions, taking disciplinary actions against relevant members of parliament, and amending the Political Funds Control Law to address issues concerning political donations within the LDP, aiming to restore public trust in the government.
However, with increasing public criticism towards the government and a decline in cabinet approval ratings, Kishida’s public support has further weakened. Recent surveys have shown his approval rating dropping to below 20%. There have also been voices within the LDP questioning the current government’s ability to handle the next House of Representatives election.
Through large-scale stimulus spending, Kishida successfully guided Japan through the economic impact of the pandemic. As of August 14th, Fumio Kishida has been in office for 1,046 days, making him the eighth-longest-serving post-war leader in Japan, only surpassed by former Prime Minister Eisaku Sato.
There is no limit on the number of times a person can be elected as the LDP president, with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe being the only leader to win the position twice.