TOKYO: Japan PM Fumio Kishida says he will not participate in leadership election in September

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has told executives of his governing party that he will not run in the leadership vote to be held next month, Japans NHK public television and other media reported.

A victory by a new party head in the final round will replace him as premier, since the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) holds both chambers of parliament.

Due to this, the popularity dropped by less than 20 percent

The stakes are high in the upcoming election, with Kishida suffering plummeting approval ratings of less than 20 percent amid a raft of corruption scandals within his party. Kishida was due to discuss his decision at a press conference later Monday. The LDP lost local elections and lawmakers in the party have said publicly that a fresh face is needed for an eventual general election.

Eliminated those factions in the Democratic Party

After the scandal emerged, Kishida sacked numerous Cabinet ministers and party executive posts, abolished factions in his Liberal Democratic Party that were blamed as a breeding ground for money-for-favor politics and passed a law to strengthen control of political funds. However, the public has turned against his administration.

This party was led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

The scandal is over undeclared political funds raised by selling tickets to party events. It included more than 80 hawkish LDP lawmakers, mostly from a major party faction formerly headed by the slain ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Lawmakers had a much bigger scandal in January: 10 people, all lawmakers or aides who worked with the Assembly Democrats.