Report: Japan’s PM Suga won’t run in next vote to lead party

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese public broadcaster NHK says Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga won’t run in the upcoming governing party leadership election, indicating he will step down as Japanese leader at the end of this month. The report said Suga told executives of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Friday that he will not run in the leadership race set for Sept. 29. This means Japan is likely to have a new leader who is elected as head of LDP, due to the party’s majority in the parliament. Suga has faced criticism over slow coronavirus measures and holding the Olympics despite public’s health concerns.