Japanese Prime Minister 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, in a decision that means the country will also have a new prime minister.

Speaking at a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday, Kishida said it was time for a new face at the helm of the LDP and that he would fully support their leadership.

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“In this election, it is necessary to show the people that the LDP is changing and the party is a new LDP,” Kishida told reporters.

“For this, transparent and open elections and free and vigorous debate are important. The most obvious first step to show that the LDP will change is for me to step aside. I will not be running in the forthcoming presidential election.”

Kishida had informed senior administration officials of his intention not to run, Japanese media including national broadcaster NHK reported earlier.

Kishida was elected party president in September 2021 for a three-year term and won a general election shortly afterwards.

But his approval ratings have fallen sharply amid a major corruption scandal within the LDP surrounding unreported political funds raised through tickets sold for party events. More than 80 LDP lawmakers, mostly belonging to a major party faction previously led by assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, have been caught up in the scandal and 10 people – lawmakers and their aides – were indicted in January.

Whoever wins the race for party leader will become Japan’s next prime minister since the LDP has the most seats in parliament.

Kishida, a former foreign minister with a reputation as a consensus builder, took on the top job from Yoshihide Suga who was criticised for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under Kishida, Japan pledged to double its defence spending to the NATO standard of two percent of GDP by 2027.

This marked a turn from decades of strict pacifism, encouraged by the United States amid concern about China’s increasingly assertive stance in the Asia Pacific.

Kishida visited the US  in April when the two countries announced a “new era” in cooperation.

In July, Japan and the Philippines signed a defence pact allowing for the deployment of troops on each other’s territory