Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Sunday announced his resignation following his ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) major defeat in the July House of Councillors election. At a hastily called press conference in the afternoon, Ishiba said he has decided to resign as president of the LDP, meaning he will also step down as prime minister.
According to Philippines News Agency, Ishiba is believed to have found it difficult to remain in office as calls for his resignation grew within the LDP after the election defeat. The LDP will now hold an extraordinary leadership election to select Ishiba's successor. Ishiba is expected to leave office after his successor is elected prime minister at an extraordinary Diet session.
Potential candidates to succeed Ishiba include agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 44, former economic security ministers Sanae Takaichi, 64, and Takayuki Kobayashi, 50, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, 64, and former LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, 69. As a reason for his resignation, Ishiba noted that his administration had achieved a milestone in tariff negotiations with the United States. At the same time, he suggested that his decision is aimed at preventing a split within the party.
Ishiba clarified that he will not run in the upcoming party leadership election. "I'll fulfill my duties until a new (LDP) president is selected, and will leave the future to the new president," he said. Ishiba took office in October 2024 and dissolved the House of Representatives later that month for a snap election. However, the LDP-Komeito coalition failed to maintain its Lower House majority in the election, in the aftermath of a high-profile political funds scandal involving LDP factions.
Despite running a minority government, Ishiba secured the enactment of the government's fiscal 2025 budget by gaining support from some opposition lawmakers. Nevertheless, the ruling bloc lost its majority in the Upper House in the July election. Even after the latest election defeat, Ishiba was eager to remain in office, citing the LDP's responsibility as the largest party in the Diet and the need to conclude tariff negotiations with the United States.
However, many LDP lawmakers and local party chapters questioned the responsibility of Ishiba and other party executives for the election result. The LDP then began the process of deciding whether to hold an early leadership election, which would effectively recall Ishiba. According to the party's rules, a leadership election must be held if requested by more than half of its lawmakers and prefectural chapters.
Of the 47 prefectural chapters, 24 had decided to request an early leadership election as of Sunday, the day before the party was to finalize the process. On Saturday night, Koizumi, along with former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, visited Ishiba and is believed to have urged him to avoid the process, out of concern that it could split the party.
As Ishiba's power base within the LDP is relatively weak, he has relied on Suga, who has influence over LDP members not belonging to party factions, and Koizumi, who always ranks high in media polls asking who should be the next prime minister. During Sunday's press conference, Ishiba said his resignation was a "painful decision" as he "still had work to do."
