Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says he will step down

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.

“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.