Japan PM Ishiba Shigeru announces resignation

Tokyo [Japan], September 7 (ANI): Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, who took office last October, announced his resignation on Sunday as president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), just weeks after its ruling coalition suffered a historic defeat in a July election.

Ishiba announced the news on X and wrote, “Today, I have decided to resign from the position of President of the Liberal Democratic Party.”

Earlier, while adressing the news conference, he said he will not run in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s upcoming special leadership contest.

It’s also believed he made the decision to try to contain the confusion within his ruling party, according to NHK World.

Ishiba said a deal on US tariff measures has now been reached, citing this as a reason for his resignation.

He said he had told LDP Secretary-General Moriyama Hiroshi to carry out procedures for the presidential election based on the party’s rules.

Ishiba said he hopes the party will begin the process of choosing a new president.

The Japanese PM vowed to tackle inflation and reform the party, but faced mounting pressure from right-wing factions within the LDP, as per NHK World.

The LDP has been involved in a series of political fundraising scandals.

Shortly after he took power, the LDP and its coalition partner Komeito lost their majority in a Lower House election. The ruling coalition also fell short of a majority in an Upper House election in July.

Amid growing calls for Ishiba to take responsibility for the election result, the LDP had been expected to decide on Monday whether to hold a special leadership contest.

According to NHK World, Ishiba met former Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and Agriculture Minister Koizumi Shinjiro at his office on Saturday.

According to sources, Suga and Koizumi told Ishiba that party unity is more important than anything else and suggested he step down before Diet members submit documents on a special leadership election. (ANI)

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