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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned after facing pressure from within his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) due to recent election defeats, including a significant loss in the July upper house election. His leadership also struggled to address economic stagnation and rising consumer prices. Facing a potential leadership vote viewed as a no-confidence motion, Ishiba met with colleagues, including agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi, and decided to step down. He cited the need to avoid a political vacuum amid economic challenges and regional tensions, but acknowledged the party’s desire for change. Ishiba will initiate a leadership vote to find his replacement.
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Japan’s prime minister Shigeru Ishiba has resigned after pressure from within his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the potential for a leadership vote against him.
Mr Ishiba, 68, who took office in October, had resisted demands – from mostly right-wing opponents within his own party for more than a month – to take responsibility for a historic defeat in July’s parliamentary election.
He has overseen three election defeats: in the upper house in July, local polls in June, as well as in the lower house in October, when his party was mired in a political donations scandal that forced his predecessor to resign.
Support for his ruling coalition has also steadily eroded as his government struggled to improve Japan’s sluggish economic growth and contain consumer price rises that fuelled growing discontent over squeezed earnings.
Mr Ishiba announced his resignation at a news conference, one day before his party was to decide whether to hold an early leadership election which, if approved, would have effectively been a no-confidence motion against him.
He said he would start a process to hold a party leadership vote to choose his replacement.
His decision came after meeting agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his perceived mentor, former prime minister Yoshihide Suga, who apparently suggested Mr Ishiba’s resignation ahead of Monday’s vote.
Mr Ishiba had previously insisted on staying on in the role, stressing the need to avoid a political vacuum at a time Japan faces big challenges, including US tariffs and their impact on the economy, rising prices, rice policy reforms and growing tensions in the region.
Shigeru Ishiba resigned after meeting colleague Shinjiro Koizumi on Saturday. File pic: Reuters
In the upper house election in July, voters handed Mr Ishiba a resounding defeat. The LDP and its coalition partner Komeito lost their majority in the chamber.
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Mr Ishiba was initially seen as a figure popular with the public who could revive the LDP’s standing when he was elevated to leader.
But he had clashed with previous leaders within the party and his colleagues were not prepared to forgive him for the electoral defeats.
The LDP and Komeito are now reliant on opposition support to stay in power, although opposition parties are too splintered to form a big enough coalition to topple the government.
