Tokyo, September 9: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Monday he will step down after less than a year in office, following two major election defeats that ended his Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) long-held parliamentary majorities.
The resignation came a day before the LDP was expected to decide whether to hold a leadership contest that could have forced him out. The ruling party, which has governed Japan for most of the past seven decades, lost its majority in the lower house for the first time in 15 years and then saw its majority in the upper house collapse in July.
“Now that a conclusion has been reached in the negotiations concerning the U.S. tariff measures, I believe this is precisely the appropriate time,” Ishiba told reporters, referring to a deal struck last week with U.S. President Donald Trump to ease tariffs on Japanese cars and other exports.
The 68-year-old said he would continue his duties until a successor is chosen. The LDP will now select a new leader, who will become prime minister following a vote in parliament.
Ishiba, who took office in October 2024 promising to curb inflation and ease living costs, struggled to win public confidence as Japan faced rising prices, strained ties with Washington and growing regional insecurity with China. Inflation, including the doubling of rice prices over the past year, hit households hard and eroded support.
His approval ratings were further damaged by controversy over appointing only two women to his cabinet and criticism of expensive gifts handed out to party members.
Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy and a key U.S. ally, now faces renewed political uncertainty at a time of economic headwinds and heightened regional tensions.
