Japan's Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru to step down

Shigeru Ishiba

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru on Sunday decided to step down from the post over a month after his party was hit with a major electoral setback in the Japanese Parliament, NHK World reported.

NHK World was the first to learn about the development.

Earlier in July, Ishiba had faced a major setback after a significant electoral defeat in the upper house of Japan's parliament as his coalition failed to attain a majority. This came after his party also failed to attain a majority in the lower house of the parliament last year.

According to the Kyodo News, despite this major setback, which led to his ruling coalition losing its majority in both houses of Japan's parliament, Ishiba vowed that he would remain in office as the country's Prime Minister to avert a "political stalemate".

Ishiba, who leads the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), ruled out stepping down to 'avoid a political deadlock' and to maintain leadership during what he described as a "national crisis", as households struggle with rising costs and due to looming US tariffs.

Despite acknowledging his "heavy responsibility" for the outcome, Ishiba had ruled out stepping down and stressed his commitment to the public.

In August, Ishiba reaffirmed his decision to remain in office despite growing pressure to resign, as the LDP convened a crucial meeting following its recent electoral setback in the Japanese Parliament, Kyodo News reported.

According to Kyodo News, during a joint plenary session involving LDP lawmakers from both houses of the Japanese parliament, party leaders revealed that the LDP's election committee is considering the possibility of holding an early leadership vote, which was initially scheduled for 2027.

At an earlier informal meeting in July, most attendees reportedly urged Ishiba to take responsibility for the defeat and step down.
The ruling LDP-Komeito coalition dropped from 141 to 122 seats in the 248-member upper house, falling short of a simple majority. Though less potent than the lower house, the upper house remains critical for passing legislation.