Natsuo Yamaguchi, Leader of Japan’s Komeito Party, Steps Down
Natsuo Yamaguchi, the leader of Japan’s ruling coalition party Komeito, has announced that he will step down and not run in the upcoming leadership election, marking the first leadership change for Komeito in 15 years.
During a press conference, Yamaguchi emphasized the importance of a smooth generational shift within the party. The 72-year-old politician will retire at the end of his eighth term on September 28 and will not participate in the leadership election scheduled for September 18.
Yamaguchi has been at the helm of Komeito since 2009 and has been instrumental in the success of the coalition government with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. His departure paves the way for Secretary-General Keiichi Ishii, 66, to run unopposed and likely become the new leader at the party’s convention on September 28.
This transition signifies a new chapter for Komeito and Japan’s political landscape as a whole.