Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced his decision to step down next month, following a significant decline in his approval ratings.
The announcement comes at a critical time for Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which was set to announce the date of its triennial leadership vote in September.
According to a report by the Washington Examiner, Kishida's approval ratings have fallen to record lows. A recent poll by NHK showed his approval rating had halved since taking office, now standing at just 25%. Another poll cited by the BBC placed his approval rating even lower at 15.5%.
Kishida addressed his decision to resign during a Wednesday press conference. He emphasized the importance of demonstrating change within the LDP to the Japanese people.
The Prime Minister stated:
In the upcoming presidential election, it's necessary to show the people that the Liberal Democratic Party will change. A transparent and open election and free and open debate are important. The first easy-to-understand step that indicates that the LDP will change is for me to step back.
This move comes as the LDP faces increasing pressure to address various challenges confronting Japan, including a declining birth rate, economic stagnation, and mounting national debt.
While Kishida made progress in foreign policy, drawing from his experience as a former foreign minister, he struggled to effectively address Japan's domestic issues.
His administration's attempts to pass legislation reforming campaign finance rules and dissolve the Japanese branch of the controversial Unification Church failed to boost his declining popularity.
The LDP, which has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955, has recently been embroiled in several scandals. These include connections to the South Korean Unification Church, also known as the Moonies, and campaign finance violations. These controversies have further eroded public trust in the party and its leadership.
The upcoming LDP leadership election will involve the party's 1.1 million dues-paying members and elected leaders, each group accounting for 50% of the total vote. Traditionally, powerful factions within the LDP have dominated these elections. However, recent finance scandals have led to the dissolution of many of these main factions.
Japan has become known for its frequent changes in prime ministers, with Kishida being the eighth-longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history despite holding power for less than three years. His predecessor, Shinzo Abe, who served from 2012 to 2020, holds the record as Japan's longest-serving prime minister.
Despite the current political turmoil, the LDP is expected to maintain its grip on power in the next general election. The opposition parties have struggled to make significant electoral gains, leaving the LDP as the dominant force in Japanese politics.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's decision to step down comes amid record-low approval ratings and mounting challenges for Japan. The announcement precedes the LDP's upcoming leadership election, which will determine the next party leader and likely prime minister. While Kishida's resignation marks another chapter in Japan's history of short-term prime ministers, the LDP's hold on power remains strong despite recent scandals and public dissatisfaction.
