Nichida of Japan: "Not Running in Next Month's LDP Presidential Election... Taking Responsibility for Slush Fund Issue" (Comprehensive)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on the 14th that he will not run in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election scheduled for next month.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Prime Minister Kishida held a press conference at the Prime Minister's Official Residence that morning and said, "In this leadership election, it is necessary for the LDP to clearly show the public that it is changing."

Regarding his reason for not running, he stated, "I have no hesitation in taking responsibility as the head of the organization for the slush fund scandal caused by party members." Since the LDP faction's slush fund controversy erupted in November last year, and the cabinet approval ratings remained in the 10-20% range, Kishida has faced pressure to resign both inside and outside the party.

Potential candidates for the next LDP leadership election include former LDP Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba, Digital Minister Taro Kono, and Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi. In Japan's parliamentary system, the leader of the majority party becomes the prime minister, and the current ruling party is the LDP.

Regarding the next LDP leader, Kishida said, "I hope it will be someone who does not retreat from a reform mindset in terms of political funding issues and restoring political trust."

The lawmaker elected in next month's LDP leadership election will become the next prime minister. With Kishida not running in the next LDP leadership election, he has also given up on continuing as prime minister.

According to local media, the LDP leadership election is expected to take place between the 20th and 29th of next month. Kishida will step down from the prime minister position once the new LDP leader is elected next month.

According to Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei), Kishida took office in October 2021 as the successor to former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Nikkei reported, "His tenure has exceeded 1,000 days, making it the eighth longest-serving prime minister since World War II."