Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a news conference in Tokyo on August 14, 2024, where he announced his intention to step down.
  • Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced he will not stand down.
  • His decision follows a financial scandal involving lawmakers from his Liberal Democratic Party.
  • The LDP has ruled Japan almost continuously since 1955.

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

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

The decision means the contest will pick a successor who will succeed him as prime minister, without a general election.

Kishida stepped down under pressure from a string of scandals.