TOKYO, Aug 20 — Japan’s ruling party will decide on its new leader—and by extension the likely next prime minister—on September 27, local media said Tuesday.

The decision follows current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s bombshell announcement last week that he won’t seek re-election, after polls showed plummeting approval ratings for his government.

Campaigning to become the next Liberal Democratic Party president will begin on September 12 with a vote two weeks later, an internal committee decided early Tuesday, according to local media including public broadcaster NHK.

Who will succeed Kishida remains to be seen, with a hodgepodge of candidates, from party veterans to rising young stars and three women, reportedly weighing their chances and seeking to rally intraparty support. — AFP