Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says he will not run in the Liberal Democratic Party's presidential election at an Aug. 14 news conference at the prime minister's office. (Takeshi Iwashita)

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Aug. 14 announced he will not seek re-election in the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential race in September, citing fallout from the funding scandal in the ruling party.

“It is necessary to firmly present a newly born LDP to the people,” Kishida, 67, said at a news conference at the prime minister’s office. “The most obvious first step to show that the LDP will change is for me to step down. As a rank-and-file member, I will be committed to supporting the new leader elected through the presidential election.”

Given the LDP’s majority in the Lower House, the winner of the LDP’s presidential election is certain to be elected prime minister at a subsequent Diet session.

Kishida’s first term as LDP president expires at the end of September.

At a news conference on June 21, Kishida expressed his willingness to continue in office, saying he would “deliver results on the challenges that lie ahead.”

However, his Cabinet’s approval ratings have slumped, and his party is struggling to regain momentum.

Kishida said on Aug. 14 that his administration has “achieved great results” for the economy and energy and drastically strengthened the nation’s defense forces and diplomacy.

However, he could not escape continued public criticism over his handling of the political fund scandal that rocked the LDP.

“What is left for me to do is to take responsibility as the head of the LDP,” he said. “As the head of the organization, I am not in the least bit hesitant to take responsibility for a serious situation caused by members of the (LDP).”

In response to the scandal, the Kishida government revised the Political Fund Control Law in the ordinary Diet session to prevent a recurrence of the unreported cash that flowed among LDP factions.

The revisions, for example, strengthened the responsibility of lawmakers for funds handled by their organizations and lowered the threshold for disclosure of the names of people who buys tickets to fund-raising events.

But public opinion polls showed the majority of voters were unsatisfied with the revisions. Calls grew within the LDP for a change in leadership.

As for the timing of his decision to step down, Kishida said, “At this point, I have a break in my immediate diplomatic schedule.”

Asked if he would endorse any candidate in the LDP election, the prime minister said, “A person who has announced that he will not run should refrain from saying anything about what will happen later.”

But regarding the restoration of trust in politics, he said: “We must continue our reform efforts. I hope that (my successor) will be the one who will not allow the reform mindset to backslide.”

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