Japan Mulls Picking New Prime Minister on Sept 17

Japan is contemplating conducting a special legislative session on Sept. 17 to select the country's next prime minister to replace Shinzo Abe, local media announced on Sunday.

According to NHK, the governing Liberal Democratic Party is scheduled to determine when and how to select its next chief at the General Council meeting on Tuesday, reports Xinhua News Agency.

Meanwhile, LDP officials are making final preparations to make their representatives vote in both houses of the Diet about Sept. 13-15 to nominate the party's president. The party then intends to conduct a special legislative session to nominate the next prime minister on Sept. 17, according to the report.

Currently, LDP policy research Council Chair Fumio Kishida and former LDP Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba have expressed interest in operating the party's presidential campaign. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga is often seen as a possible contender.