Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is planning to visit the United States in late September to attend the 79th session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, according to government sources. Final arrangements for the trip are currently underway. This visit would be a rare occurrence of an incumbent prime minister traveling overseas after a new Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president has been elected, which is significant if it happens after the ruling party’s presidential election.
There are plans for Prime Minister Kishida to hold a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, who has decided not to run for the ongoing U.S. presidential race. This visit will likely provide Kishida with an opportunity to summarize his diplomatic activities.
The government sources suggest that the visit could last for a few days and commence on September 22. This timing would allow Kishida to attend the U.N. meeting after a new LDP president has been elected, considering the LDP presidential election taking place on September 20. Consequently, the appointment of the new prime minister could occur as early as September 24, during an extraordinary session of the Diet, which would follow the three-day weekend, including a national holiday.
However, if the LDP presidential election is scheduled for September 27, Kishida’s visit to the U.S. would coincide with the presidential campaign period.
Former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga followed a similar course of action in September 2021. Suga chose not to run in the LDP presidential election and visited t