Japan's Prime Minister announces withdrawal
A spending scandal in Japanese politics is causing a drop in support for the government. The head of the Kishida administration is now taking responsibility and paving the way for a successor. Several candidates are already positioning themselves for this.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who has been struggling in opinion polls, is stepping down. He announced that he will not run for re-election as chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the September election. The head of the party, which has been almost continuously in power for decades, is usually also the prime minister. Kishida is taking responsibility for a political spending scandal involving several party factions. He has been increasingly criticized for his handling of the issue, and his government's approval ratings, which took office in October 2021, have fallen below 30 percent.
Under Kishida, Japan has undertaken a historic shift in its security strategy in response to China's growing power and the threat from North Korea, deciding on a significant military buildup. Departing from its previously purely defensive security doctrine, the U.S. ally aims to gain the ability to destroy enemy missile bases. The defense budget is increasing significantly.
This policy shift comes amid a security environment that the government describes as the "most serious and complex" since World War II. China's military activities in the region pose the "greatest strategic challenge." The U.S., Japan's ally, expresses similar concerns. Despite his unpopularity, Kishida had long sought to secure re-election in the race for the leadership of his party. However, calls for his resignation within the LDP have grown louder recently.
After Kishida's announcement, Japanese media outlets are already circulating names of potential successor candidates. These include former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, reform-minded Digital Minister Taro Kono, LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, and Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi. Former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi are also among those who could run.
The Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is at the helm of this policy shift, is facing criticism due to his involvement in a political spending scandal. Several prominent Japanese, such as former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Digital Minister Taro Kono, are positioning themselves as potential successors to Kishida.
