Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has rejected claims of his resignation following his coalition’s upper house election loss, labeling them “completely unfounded.” According to a senior source, he opted to remain in office to prevent political instability during ongoing trade talks with the United States. On Tuesday, Ishiba revealed a trade agreement with President Donald Trump, which reduces tariffs on Japanese car imports and shields Japan from new levies on other products.
Reports indicate that he plans to resign next month following the loss of his center-right Liberal Democratic Party’s majority in both parliamentary houses. The party has been in power since 1955 but faced voter backlash due to inflation. Meanwhile, the far-right Sanseito party, promoting reduced immigration and tax cuts, significantly boosted its upper house representation from one to 14 seats.
Ishiba narrowly won against hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi in last year’s LDP leadership run-off. Following the lower house defeat in October, the next leader will face the challenge of leading a party lacking a parliamentary majority. They will need to garner support from opposition lawmakers for prime minister confirmation. Analysts suggest the new leader is likely to focus on rebuilding party unity and public support before considering a general election.
Ishiba was elected LDP leader in September 2024, marking the 10th prime minister from the party since 2000. Following disappointing election results in late October, his coalition entered a minority government, necessitating negotiations with opposition parties to pass legislation thereafter.
Sources News From Various Digital Platforms, Websites, Journalists, And Agencies.
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