Resignation and Scandal Shake Japan's Ruling Party Leadership

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced his resignation as chief of his faction in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party amid allegations of underreported revenue from political fundraising parties. Kishida's predecessors typically resigned from their faction leadership positions to avoid the appearance of patronage-driven politics, but he had retained the position since assuming office. The move comes as Kishida's approval ratings have dropped and calls for him to regain public trust have increased.