Politics Japan's head of government Kishida announces his resignation

Japan's head of government Fumio Kishida, stuck in a poll slump, is giving up.

Kishida said he would not stand for re-election in the upcoming election for leader of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in September. The leader of the party, which has been in power almost without interruption for decades, is usually also the Prime Minister. Kishida is thus taking responsibility for a political donation scandal in which some of the inner-party power groups are involved. He has been increasingly criticized for his handling of it. The approval ratings for his government, which took office in October 2021, fell below 30 percent as a result.

Under Kishida, Japan made a historic change to its security strategy in response to China's striving for power and the threat posed by North Korea and decided on a massive military build-up. In a departure from the security doctrine, which had previously focused exclusively on defense, the US ally wants to put itself in a position to eliminate enemy missile positions in the future. The defense budget is rising sharply.

Kishida changed Japan's security strategy

The change of course came in the face of a security environment that the government describes as the "most serious and complicated" since the Second World War. China's military presence in the region represents "the greatest strategic challenge". Japan's protecting power, the USA, puts it in similar terms. Despite his unpopularity, Kishida has long sought to secure re-election in the race for the leadership of his party. However, calls for his resignation have been growing louder and louder within the LDP.

Following Kishida's retirement announcement, names of possible successor candidates are already circulating in the Japanese media. These include former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the reform-minded Minister for Digital Affairs Taro Kono, LDP Secretary General Toshimitu Motegi and Minister for Economic Security Sanae Takaichi. Former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi are also among those who could enter the race.