Japan’s prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, has said he will not run for re-election as party leader this month, signalling the end of his tenure.
A year ago, after the resignation of Shinzo Abe, Suga was appointed to the role. The shock announcement comes as Mr Suga’s approval ratings dropped to an all-time low.
Japan – which is still under a state of emergency – is now grappling with its worst ever Covid wave. The country has now seen more than 1.5 million virus cases. It also has seen a slow vaccination roll out.
The decision to host the Olympic Games despite the worsening pandemic proved to be unpopular. The secretary general of Mr Suga’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) stated, “Today at the executive meeting, Suga said he wants to focus his efforts on anti-coronavirus measures and will not run in the leadership election. Honestly, I’m surprised. It’s truly regrettable. He did his best but after careful consideration, he made this decision.”
