Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has declared that the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, LDP, needs a new face to dispel the shadow of a corruption scandal that has hung over the political formation in recent months.
Prime Minister of JapanFumio Kishida, announced this Wednesday by surprise that will not appear in the next vote by the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party, PLD, in September, paving the way for the Asian country to have a new prime minister.
Kishida was elected president of his ruling LDP in 2021 and his three-year term expires just weeks. The candidate who wins the vote that will take place in the political formation will succeed him as prime minister because the PLD controls both houses of the Japanese Parliament.
Having a new face represents an opportunity for the party to show that is changing for the bettersaid Fumio Kishida, adding that he will support the new leader.
“We have to clearly show the revival of the Liberal Democratic Party“Kishida declared at a press conference on Wednesday. “To show a changing LDP, The obvious first step is for me to retire.“he added.
Hit by his party’s corruption scandal, the current Japanese prime minister has suffered a decline in support rates, which have fallen below 20%.
The misconduct centers on undeclared political funds, raised through tickets sold to party events. in the scandal More than 80 legislators were involved of the PLD, mostly belonging to an important faction of the party previously led by the assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe.
The murder uncovered a scandal over the LDP’s deep ties to the Unification Church, for which Kishida has also been subject of numerous criticisms.
Restore confidence in the ruling party
To achieve policies that address difficult situations inside and outside Japan, it is crucial to restore citizens’ trust in politics, said Fumio Kishida. The politician called on the party’s aspiring deputies to there’s a step ahead when presenting themselves as candidates for the leadership and maintain an active political debate during the electoral campaign.
“Once it is clear election of a new leader“I hope to see everyone united and forming a dream team to achieve a policy capable of gaining the understanding of public opinion,” said Kishida.
He had been contemplating his resignation for some time.
The Japanese politician declared that he had been contemplating his possible resignation for some time, but that he has waited until he can get his main policies back on track, including an energy policy that advocates a return to nuclear energy. a drastic military reinforcement to face the security threats in the region and improving ties with South Korea, as well as political reforms.
Las speculation about possible candidates They have fallen on several senior LDP officials, such as the party’s general secretary, Toshimitsu Motegi, the minister of digital affairs, Taro Kono, the minister of economic security, Sanae Takaichi, and the minister of foreign affairs, Yōko Kamikawa.
The winner of the LDP internal elections will replace Kishida as party president and will be endorsed as new prime ministerin a parliamentary vote shortly afterwards. LDP executives are expected to decide next week on the date of the party’s elections.
Corruption scandal
Since the corruption scandal broke, Kishida has removed several ministers from his cabinet and other people from the party executive positionshas dissolved factions of the political formation that were criticized for being a source of money-in-exchange-for-favors policies and has tightened the law controlling political funds. A total of 10 people, including legislators and their aides, were accused of corruption last January.
Despite Kishida’s efforts to turn the situation aroundsupport for his government has decreased.
Defeats in local elections earlier this year eroded his influence, and PLD lawmakers have expressed the need for a new face. before the next general elections. Significant defeats in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly by-elections in July have also contributed to increasing pressure on the ruling party.
