Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced this week that he will not seek reelection as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), essentially stepping down and opening up Japan’s top post following a high-profile political funding scandal.

All eyes are on who will become the country’s next leader and what this sudden change means for key national policies and relations with other governments. Here is a selection of stories that will help you catch up on the latest.

Kishida said on Wednesday that he will stand down after the ruling LDP selects a new chief in September. That follows months of record-low cabinet approval ratings — hovering around 20% since December — in the wake of a scandal over party factions’ use of political funds. “The first and most obvious step toward showing that the party will change is for me to step aside,” Kishida said in a news conference. Read more.

Advertisement

The LDP has been in power since December 2012 and for most of the postwar period. The ruling party will vote to pick Kishida’s successor between Sept. 20 and Sept. 29, with the winner taking over as prime minister. Here are five things to know about the vote.

LDP factions have already kicked off the battle over nominations for the party’s presidential poll in September, with a range of political heavyweights emerging as potential contenders to take the reins from Kishida. Read more.

Boosting defense spending was one of Kishida’s signature initiatives. But as he prepares to step down, he leaves behind costly policy commitments without clear answers on how to fund them. Read more.

The political scandal kickbacks and slush funds has sparked fierce criticism of the Kishida administration involving in recent months. What caused the scandal and how did he try to regain the public’s trust? Read more.