Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced Sunday he will step down following mounting pressure from within his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to take responsibility for a historic election defeat in July. Ishiba, who took office in October, had resisted demands from party rivals for more than a month, warning that his resignation would create a political vacuum at a time when Japan faces economic strain, U.S. tariffs and rising regional tensions. His decision came a day before the LDP was set to decide on an early leadership election, a step widely seen as a vote of no confidence in his leadership. Ishiba said during a televised press conference that he would begin the process for a party leadership vote to choose his successor, making Monday's decision unnecessary. In July, Ishiba's ruling coalition failed to secure a majority in the 248-seat upper house, compounding an earlier loss of its lower house majority. The back-to-back setbacks deepened divisions inside the LDP and weakened the government's stability. Ishiba's resignation followed talks with Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, his longtime mentor, who both reportedly urged him to step aside before Monday's vote. Since the LDP's adoption last week of its election loss review — calling for a "complete overhaul" of the party — pressure mounted for Ishiba's departure. Conservative heavyweight Taro Aso and several ministers had openly called for an early leadership contest. Former Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said on NHK earlier Sunday that resignation was the best way for Ishiba to end the party's internal strife, adding that the LDP had been distracted from pressing economic and legislative issues. The LDP is expected to hold its presidential election in early October. Potential successors include Koizumi, ultra-conservative former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, a moderate close to former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. With no majority in either chamber, Ishiba's successor will likely need opposition support to advance legislation, though opposition parties remain too divided to form a unified challenge. In recent weeks, Ishiba secured a reduction in U.S. tariffs on Japanese goods from 25% to 15% after negotiations with President Donald Trump, and invited Trump to visit Japan to mark what he called "the golden era" of the alliance. LDP Secretary General Hiroshi Moriyama, Ishiba's top aide, has also offered to resign over the election defeat. Ishiba had not yet accepted his resignation, but Moriyama's departure was expected to further destabilize the government. — Agencies
