Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Wednesday that he intends to step down at the end of his three-year term as Liberal Democratic Party president before September’s election.
Kishida decided he could no longer ignore the growing calls within the party for a change in leadership amid public distrust in LDP, which is rising due to a political funding scandal involving the party’s factions.
Kishida’s term as LDP president lasts until Sept 30, and the party’s rules stipulate that the leadership election to choose his successor will occur between Sept 20 and 29.
According to The Yomiuri Shimbun, with the House of Representatives term set to expire by Oct 30 next year, the election will also serve as a way to select the “face of the party” for the upcoming general election.
Among the current party executives and cabinet ministers who support Kishida, LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, Minister for Digital Transformation Taro Kono, and Minister in charge of Economic Security Sanae Takaichi have expressed interest in running.
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The mid-career and younger members of the LDP have been increasingly vocal about the need for generational change and party reform ahead of the leadership election.
According to China Daily, the emphasis on reform is largely driven by the strong headwinds caused by the political funding scandal involving party factions. Disciplining the involved members and amending the Political Funds Control Act have not been sufficient to restore public trust.
The mid-career and younger members of the LDP believe that without demonstrating a commitment to change, the party is likely to struggle in the next House of Representatives election. Some candidates eyeing the “post-Kishida” era are responding to these calls, making party renewal one of the key issues in the upcoming leadership race, The Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
