- Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is set to resign after a year in office.
- He told members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) that he will not run in the party’s upcoming presidential election.
- Suga took over from former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in September 2020, after Abe stepped down citing poor health.
Japan’s embattled prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, is set to resign after one year in office, reported The Japan Times.
Suga told members of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Friday that he will not run in the party’s upcoming presidential election, paving the way for another prime minister in the country, per the Times. Suga said he wanted to focus on containing the COVID-19 pandemic instead of running in the election.
“To be honest, I’m surprised. But I believe he came to this decision after thinking about it deeply,” party secretary-general Toshihiro Nikai told reporters, according to Bloomberg.
The prime minister’s approval ratings have been on a downward spiral over his government’s handling of the pandemic. His cabinet’s approval rating fell to 25% in July from 34% in June, reported Nikkei Asia. It’s the lowest rating for a Japanese leader in nine years, per Nikkei.
Suga took over from former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in September 2020, after Abe stepped down citing poor health, reported the Japan Times.
There is no term limit for premiership in Japan — the prime minister can stay on as long as he/she is elected leader of the ruling party.