Photo/Illutration Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi announces at a news conference in the Diet on Sept. 10 that he will step down as party leader at the end of his term. (Yuta Ogi)

Natsuo Yamaguchi, the longtime face of the junior ruling coalition partner, will step down as Komeito leader at the end of his term, marking the first leadership change in 15 years.

Yamaguchi, 72, said at a news conference on Sept. 10 that he will not run in Komeito's leadership election to be held later this month.

He referred to changes in the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will not run for re-election and other leadership elections.

“A wave of generational change is sweeping the political world, both domestically and internationally," Yamaguchi said. "I’ve decided it’s time to pass the baton to the next generation.”

Komeito Secretary-General Keiichi Ishii, 66, will likely replace Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi succeeded Akihiro Ota as party leader after Ota lost his seat in the 2009 Lower House election, in which the LDP and Komeito coalition suffered a crushing defeat.

Yamaguchi, in his eighth term, ranks as the longest-serving Komeito chief since the party was re-established in 1998.

His decision on whether to continue as party leader had been a key focus as his term was set to expire at the party convention on Sept. 28.

There has never been more than one candidate running in a Komeito leadership election.

It’s likely that internal discussions will be held again this time, with Ishii emerging as the sole candidate.

There were calls for Yamaguchi to stay on as the party head with an eye on a possible snap general election later this year.

However, with leadership races taking place in the LDP and the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Komeito leaned toward a change of leadership and a new generation.

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