Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba may release his message commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II during a U.N. General Assembly session later this month, a government official said Monday.

Those in the Ishiba administration are mulling over the idea, but an aide said it may be difficult given Ishiba's weakening influence after he announced on Sunday that he would be stepping down.

"The prime minister regards his message as if it were his own will," a person close to Ishiba said, adding he is currently carrying out preparations.

Ishiba has strongly called for reviewing the circumstances that led to World War II, to prevent a recurrence of its horrors. Conservative members of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party are opposed to Ishiba releasing a message, however, as they value former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's statement on the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.

Ishiba's insistence on releasing his view on the war also reflects his concerns over growing support for xenophobic rhetoric in recent national elections.

"If the LDP loses the trust (of the people), I strongly fear that Japanese politics would descend into populism," he said at a news conference Sunday in which he announced his resignation.

But releasing a controversial message right before stepping down may create new rifts within the party.

A senior Ishiba administration official said he should "act so as not to cause headaches for his successor."