OSAKA: Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) leader Ichiro Matsui offered to resign from the post, at an executive meeting of the opposition party on Thursday.

“I would like to resign as party leader,” Matsui said, adding he wants the party to hold an election to select its new chief as soon as possible.

Following the resignation offer, the party decided to hold an extraordinary party meeting on July 30 to formally approve Matsui’s resignation and start preparations for a leadership election.

After the day’s executive meeting, Fumitake Fujita, secretary-general of Nippon Ishin, said that the party’s leadership election will be held by the end of August. He denied that he will run in the leadership race.

Nobuyuki Baba, co-leader of the party, is believed to be considering running in the party election.

Nippon Ishin deputy leader Hirofumi Yoshimura, who is also governor of Osaka Prefecture, has said he would not run for the party’s leadership.

JIJI Press