Japan PM Suga to Step Down This Month, Party Says

TOKYO - Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Friday he will not run for reelection as party leader this month, effectively ending his tenure after just one year, his party's secretary general said.

Suga announced his intention to resign at an emergency meeting of senior members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Toshihiro Nikai told reporters. "Today at the executive meeting, (party) president Suga said he wants to focus his efforts on anti-coronavirus measures and will not run in the leadership election," Nikai said. "Honestly, I'm surprised. It's truly regrettable. He did his best but after careful consideration, he made this decision," he added.