The decision follows current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s bombshell announcement last week that he would not seek re-election, after polls showed plummeting approval ratings for his government.

Campaigning to become the next Liberal Democratic Party president will begin on Sept 12 with a vote two weeks later, an internal committee decided early Tuesday, according to local media including public broadcaster NHK.

Who will succeed Kishida remains to be seen, with a hodgepodge of candidates, from party veterans to rising young stars and three women, reportedly weighing their chances and seeking to rally intraparty support.