Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Forgoes September's LDP Presidential Election… “A First Step Towards Showing a New LDP”

Fumio Kishida, the Prime Minister, announced at a press conference held at the Prime Minister's Office on the 14th that he would not be running in the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) presidential election in September. The Kishida Cabinet is scheduled to step down in the fall.

At the press conference, Prime Minister Kishida stated, "By holding a telephone conversation with Mongolian Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene yesterday, I was able to conclude my diplomatic schedule for this summer." He added, "After the Chuseok holiday, the movement towards the fall presidential election will gain momentum." He further emphasized, "In this presidential election, it is necessary for the LDP to clearly demonstrate its changing form to the public, namely, a reborn LDP." He stressed, "To achieve this, a transparent and open election, and above all, free and active discussions are crucial."

Prime Minister Kishida declared, "The clearest first step for the LDP to demonstrate its transformation is for me to step down." He announced, "I will not run in the upcoming presidential election." He added, "I will support the new leader selected through the presidential election with the same heart as a single soldier."

Prime Minister Kishida explained that during his three years as Prime Minister and LDP President, he had worked to end the 30-year deflationary economy by revitalizing entrepreneurship and promoting wage increases and investment through a new form of capitalism, with government-private sector collaboration (官民連携). He also explained that he transitioned energy policies to address the surge in electricity demand and GX in the era of artificial intelligence, including carbon pricing, the introduction of GX economic transition bonds, the restart of nuclear power plants, and the installation of new innovative nuclear reactors. Furthermore, he stated that he implemented a large-scale, 3.6 trillion yen plan to address the serious issue of declining birthrates and fundamentally strengthened defense capabilities by investing 43 trillion yen over five years to respond to the complexities and challenges in the international community.

Prime Minister Kishida emphasized, "Based on the robust Japan-US relationship, I have hosted the G7 Hiroshima Summit, attended the NATO Summit, and the Camp David Summit, leading international discussions on cooperation in a world experiencing deepening divisions. At the same time, I have pursued multifaceted diplomatic efforts, including improving Japan-South Korea relations and strengthening ties with the Global South." He concluded, "I am proud that we have achieved significant results through the cooperation of so many individuals."