Japan’s prime minister is resigning, under pressure from a scandal

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday, where he announced his intention to step down.

Japan’s prime minister said on Wednesday he would quit, caving to domestic political pressure.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced his departure at a press conference, saying he would not stand in an upcoming election for the leadership of his Liberal Democratic Party.

The decision means a successor will be picked to succeed him, without a general election.

Kishida stepped down under pressure that arose from a string of scandals.

At the press conference, he said he hoped his departure would “impress on the public that the LDP has changed,” per Japan’s Kyodo news agency.

He said he was taking personal responsibility for a financial scandal in which LDP lawmakers were accused of taking personal kickbacks from political funds.

Kishida’s party has been in almost continuous power in Japan since 1955.

He became prime minister in 2021, taking over from his predecessor Yoshihide Suga.

Before that, Japan had been led for eight years by Shinzo Abe, famed for his Abenomics approach to Japan’s economy.

Abe was assassinated in July 2022 while speaking at a campaign event.