Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday he would step down next month, succumbing to public disaffection over political scandals and rising living costs that marred his three-year term, and setting off a scramble to replace him, Paralel.Az reports citing Reuters.

"Politics cannot function without public trust," he told a press conference to reveal his decision not to seek re-election as the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

"I made this heavy decision thinking of the public, with the strong will to push political reform forward."

The LDP will hold a contest in September to replace him as president of the party, and, by extension, as prime minister.