Japanese prime minister decides not to run for reelection and will step down as head of government

Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida announced Wednesday that he will not enter the contest to remain leader of his party, meaning he will step down as head of government.

"I will not contest the next presidential election" of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Kishida announced at a press conference, as he stressed the need for change within the group.

"In this presidential election, it is necessary to show the people that the LDP is changing and that the party is a new LDP," he declared in Tokyo.

He added that "for this, transparent and open elections and a free and vigorous debate are important. The most obvious first step to show that the LDP is going to change is for me to step aside."

The LDP, which has ruled Japan almost without interruption since 1945, will choose its new leader in September. In Japanese political tradition, the head of the main party also serves as prime minister.

The 67-year-old head of government has held office since October 2021, and his popularity has fallen sharply in polls due to the high prices affecting the Japanese.

The world's fourth-largest economy has struggled to revive, with a meager 0.7% growth in the first quarter of the year.

The prime minister "seems to have decided that he himself must take responsibility for dispelling the growing distrust" of the government and the party, noted NHK national television.

Under Kishida, Japan pledged to double its defense spending by 2027 to 2% of GDP, as recommended by NATO, an alliance it is not part of but is close to.