Japanese PM Kishida's cabinet resigns ahead of Ishiba's inauguration

TOKYO, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida resigned with his cabinet on Tuesday, marking an end to his three-year tenure marred by political scandals and rising living costs, local media reported.

Cabinet ministers of the Kishida administration submitted letters of resignation en masse at a cabinet meeting, which started shortly after 9 a.m. local time, ahead of the appointment of a new cabinet, which will be led by Kishida's successor, Shigeru Ishiba, the public broadcaster NHK reported.

In the special Diet session to be convened at around 1:00 p.m. local time, Ishiba, the new leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), is set to take office as the country's prime minister and will then announce his new cabinet later in the day.

Kishida was appointed prime minister of Japan on Oct. 4, 2021, and the Kishida Administration was formed on the same day.