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Japan PM Shigeru Ishiba to resign after election defeats
Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced his resignation, less than a year after taking office, following consecutive electoral setbacks that have weakened his leadership. The centrist politician faced two significant defeats since last autumn, with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) losing its majority in both the lower and upper houses.
Speaking to the media on Sunday, Ishiba said he was stepping down to take responsibility for the election results and to prevent a divisive split within the party. “Now that negotiations on US tariff measures have concluded, I believe this is the appropriate moment to resign and make way for the next generation,” he said.
Attention now turns to Ishiba’s potential successors. Ultra-conservative Sanae Takaichi may attempt to become Japan’s first female prime minister, while younger and popular figures like Agriculture Minister Shinji Koizumi are also being considered. A party leadership vote is expected among lawmakers and rank-and-file members in early October.
Ishiba’s resignation comes amid broader challenges for Japan, including rising regional tensions, a cost-of-living crisis, migration concerns, and declining public trust in the LDP, which has governed Japan almost uninterrupted since the 1950s. His cabinet’s approval rating recently fell to 32.7%.