Japan PM plans to resign after election disaster: local media

Prime Minister Ishiba’s Resignation Looms

Shigeru Ishiba is poised to step down as Japan’s prime minister, reports said after a critical election loss and a new trade deal with the United States.

Election Loss Destroys Majority

• The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost three seats in the upper‑house election, leaving it short of a majority.
• In the lower house, the LDP lost its long‑standing “majority” status for the first time in 15 years, forcing it to consult opposition parties.
• Voters blamed inflation – rice prices have doubled – and a funding scandal for the LDP’s decline.
• Critics called for Ishiba’s departure, a sentiment that grew louder after the election.

Trade Deal Tightens Ties with Washington

On a Wednesday announcement, Ishiba struck an agreement that cut a threatened 25‑percent tariff to 15 percent, a step ahead of the August 1 deadline.

While the deal proved popular, it did not prevent the LDP’s defeat in the upper‑house poll and the coalition’s minority status in the lower house.

Future Leadership Shifts

• Oshiba won the LDP leadership in September on his fifth try, becoming the 10th LDP prime minister since 2000 – all of whom have been men.
• Speculation that he will announce his resignation in July or August has intensified after the LDP’s weak election results.
• Health concerns also highlight the “finite” option for Ishiba’s tenure.

Public Reaction

“I really hope things will get better in Japan, but living in Japan will get tougher and tougher,” an 80‑year‑old Hiroshima resident told AFP on Wednesday. She lamented that Japan cannot act more strongly toward the U.S., but praised the agreement on a lower tariff.

Another resident, 81‑year‑old Tetsuo Momiyama, said Ishiba “is finished already.” He added, “It’s a good timing for him to leave.”

Conclusion

With the LDP’s coalition forced into a minority government and the resignation of a prime minister on the horizon, Japan’s politics stand at a pivotal crossroads. The next steps will shape the country’s future on the international stage and the domestic economy for years to come.