Japan’s PM Ishiba denies plans to quit after upper house election defeat
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has denied media reports suggesting he plans to resign following his ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) heavy loss in the recent upper house election. Speaking on Wednesday, the 68-year-old leader called such rumors “completely unfounded.”
A source close to Ishiba explained that the prime minister chose not to step down immediately after the election to avoid political instability as an important trade deal deadline with the United States approached on August 1. On Tuesday, Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a landmark trade agreement that reduces tariffs on Japanese automobiles and spares Tokyo from harsh new levies on other goods, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Earlier Japanese media reports suggested Ishiba might announce his resignation next month. If he does resign less than a year into his tenure, it could trigger a fierce succession battle within the LDP. The party faces growing competition from emerging political groups, including the far-right “Japanese First” Sanseito party, which increased its seats in the 248-member upper house from one to 14 in Sunday’s election.
Ishiba won the party leadership last year by defeating conservative Sanae Takaichi in a runoff. His successor will face a challenging political environment, governing without a parliamentary majority in either house after the government’s lower house election loss last October.
A new LDP leader will likely prioritize securing backing from opposition lawmakers to win confirmation as prime minister. Rather than calling an immediate general election, the incoming leader may focus on rebuilding the party’s support before seeking a fresh mandate.
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