The 72-year-old made the announcement at an extraordinary board meeting at the party headquarters after 11:30 a.m. local time on Friday, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.

Suga, who was once known as a successful political operator with a reputation for being able to get things done, was elected LDP leader in September 2020, with about 70% of the votes.

His appointment was widely seen as an effort within the ruling party to promote an image of stability and continuity between Suga and outgoing leader Abe. The two men had worked closely together during Abe's almost eight years in office, with Suga holding the position of chief cabinet secretary in Abe's government.

However, Suga failed to fully emerge from his predecessor's shadow. His handling of the pandemic, in particular, has faced widespread criticism, with experts pointing to his failure to halt the much maligned "Go To" domestic travel program as a likely key driver in the spread of the virus.

Suga's decision to push ahead with the Tokyo Olympics was also widely unpopular, with polls showing that a majority opposed holding a major sporting event during a pandemic. Though the scaled-down Olympics went off without any major incidents -- and the model appears to be working for the Paralympic Games, which are ongoing -- Covid-19 cases surged to record-levels this summer.

Japan is also facing major long-term economic and social issues, such as massive government debt and an aging population. Despite public calls for reforms for gender equality in the workplace, critics say not enough progress was made during his time in government.

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