Fumio Kishida Shelves Snap Election Amid Waning Support

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has decided against calling a snap election during the current parliament session amid low approval ratings and recent funding scandals within his party. Support for his administration has dipped significantly, prompting Kishida to focus on rebuilding his administration without extending the current parliament session.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is making final arrangements not to call a snap election during the current parliament session ending June 23, the Asahi daily reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources in his administration.

Kishida has effectively given up a previously planned scenario to win a snap election ahead of September's ruling party leadership race, given low approval ratings due to recent funding scandals within his party, Asahi said. Support for his administration has dipped to its lowest point since Kishida took the post in 2021, after

reports emerged in December that some Liberal Democratic Party factions failed to report hundreds of millions of yen from fundraising events.

With recent by-election losses, ruling bloc lawmakers have been increasingly opposed to a snap election, and Kishida is set to focus on rebuilding his administration without extending the current parliament session, Asahi said.