Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he would step down in September. Announcing his decision not to seek re-election at a press conference today Mr. Kishida said the ruling Liberal Democratic Party(LDP) needs a new start.

The 67-year-old LDP veteran is expected to step down as Prime Minister after the party elects a new leader in September. Support for Mr. Kishida, who has been Prime Minister since 2021, has fallen in the wake of a corruption scandal involving his party. The party has been in power almost continuously since 1955 even as LDP leaders were shocked by Mr Kishida’s announcement.