Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced his resignation in response to mounting pressure from his party following a significant defeat in the July parliamentary election. Ishiba, who assumed office last October, had been facing calls for his resignation from within his own party for over a month, citing concerns about creating a political vacuum amidst critical domestic and international challenges.
His decision to step down came a day before his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was scheduled to determine whether to conduct an early leadership election, effectively a vote of no confidence against him. During a televised press conference, Ishiba stated that he would initiate the process for a party leadership vote to select his successor, stating that Monday’s decision was unnecessary.
Ishiba’s ruling coalition failed to secure a majority in the upper house during the July election, further destabilizing his government following an earlier defeat in the lower house. The pressure for Ishiba’s resignation intensified after a meeting with Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who suggested his resignation ahead of the scheduled vote.
With Ishiba’s resignation, the LDP is expected to schedule its party presidential election, likely to take place in early October. Potential candidates include Koizumi, former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, and chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi. The next LDP leader will need to collaborate with opposition parties to pass legislation due to the lack of a majority in both houses.
Ishiba had successfully negotiated with U.S. President Donald Trump to lower tariffs on Japanese goods from 25% to 15%. He expressed his commitment to strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance by inviting Trump to visit Japan. Additionally, Ishiba’s top aide, LDP secretary general Hiroshi Moriyama, announced his intention to resign over the election loss, though Ishiba has not accepted his resignation request yet.