Asia - Pacific

Japanese Premier Ishiba denies discussing resignation after election drubbing

Reports had emerged early Wednesday that Shigeru Ishiba, who is also leader of ruling Liberal Democratic Party, will step down next month

Anadolu staff  | 23.07.2025 - Update : 23.07.2025
Japanese Premier Ishiba denies discussing resignation after election drubbing

ANKARA

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday denied discussing his resignation after electoral losses suffered by the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito.

Ishiba's denial came after the daily Mainichi claimed the LDP leader had decided to announce his resignation by the end of August.

The LDP-Komeito lost the majority in both chambers of the parliament after a drubbing in the Upper House elections on Sunday.

Ishiba said he "made no mention" of whether he would resign or not during his meeting with Taro Aso, Yoshihide Suga, and Fumio Kishida on Wednesday to assess LDP's performance, Kyodo News reported.

The prime minister said he shared a "strong sense of crisis" with his party colleagues, with the four underscoring the "need to prevent" the Liberal Democratic Party from "falling apart."

The LDP-Komeito coalition won only 47 of the 125 seats up for grabs, falling short of the 50 seats needed to maintain a majority of 125 seats in the 248-seat upper chamber of the bicameral house.

The ruling coalition now has 122 seats in the Upper House, while Ishiba had secured only 221 votes, 12 fewer than the minimum support of 233 lawmakers during the election to the top post last year.

Ishiba's resignation "is viewed as inevitable," Kyodo News reported, citing ruling party executives.

It added that younger and mid-ranking LDP lawmakers have "begun collecting signatures to demand a joint meeting of party members to hold Ishiba accountable, as dissatisfaction with the leadership continues to mount within regional chapters."

If Ishiba steps down, his tenure would last less than a year, as he took office in October last year.

*Islamuddin Sajid in Pakistan contributed to this story.

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