Political turmoil has engulfed Tokyo as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his intention to resign from office. After presiding over two disastrous elections and facing a revolt from his own party, the embattled leader has decided to step down, throwing Japanese politics into uncertainty.
Ishiba’s short term was defined by the LDP coalition’s loss of its controlling majorities in both parliamentary chambers. This stripped his government of its ability to legislate freely and made him a target for party members who blamed him for the decline in their political fortunes.
To preempt a formal move by his opponents to oust him, Ishiba announced his resignation on Sunday evening. He stated that he wanted to prevent a “decisive” split within the party and accept accountability for the electoral setbacks that occurred on his watch.
Attention now shifts to the succession race, with a new LDP leader to be chosen in October. Candidates like the conservative Sanae Takaichi and the popular Shinji Koizumi are expected to be in the running to become Japan’s next prime minister.