Former Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda formally announced on July 21 his withdrawal from the upcoming Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) presidential election in September, citing his opposition to officials' visits to the war-related Yasukuni Shrine and his advanced age.

The 70-year-old ruling party heavyweight, who has been critical of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to the shrine, which honors Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals in World War II, had ranked in opinion polls as the second-most-popular hopeful to win the election. Thus his withdrawal will increase the prospects for the frontrunner, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, who has seen eye to eye with the prime minister on maintaining a tough foreign policy stance.

The LDP decided earlier in July to name a new chief on September 20. The winner of the race will naturally succeed Koizumi as Japan's next prime minister because the ruling bloc, made up of the LDP and its coalition partner, the New Komeito party, holds a majority in the lower house, which has the final say in selecting the premier.