Japan PM Fumio Kishida to step down in September
Japanese Premier Fumio Kishida has announced he will not seek re-election as the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in next month’s party polls, This decision indicates Japan will soon have a new prime minister.
During a press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday, Fumio Kishida emphasized the need for fresh leadership within the LDP and pledged his complete support to his successor. Kishida’s choice to step down will initiate a leadership contest within the party, leading to the selection of a new leader for Japan’s government.
The incoming leader of the LDP will likely confront several challenges, including rising living costs, increasing geopolitical tensions, and the potential return of Donald Trump as US president next year.
During Kishida’s tenure, Japan committed to doubling its defense expenditure to match NATO’s standard of two percent of GDP by 2027. This shift marked a departure from Japan’s decades-long policy of pacifism, a stance supported by the United States due to concerns over China’s growing assertiveness in the Asia Pacific region.
In April, Kishida visited the United States, where both countries declared a 'new era' of cooperation. Later in July, Japan and the Philippines signed a defense pact permitting troop deployments on each other’s territories.
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