Japanese prime minister announces his resignation

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced Sunday that he will resign from his post after less than a year in power, pressured by the electoral debacles suffered by his party in the legislative elections during his term, in which he lost the majority in both houses.

Ishiba's resignation plunges Japan into uncertainty, at a time when the country is struggling with a higher-than-expected inflation and is facing the consequences of US tariffs on the automotive industry, a pillar of its economy.

Ishiba, 68, will step down less than a year after taking command of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which made him head of government. "I decided to resign as president of the Liberal Democratic Party," he told a press conference, after several local media reported that he would step down, AFP gathers.

"Leave room for the next generation"

"Now that the negotiations on the US tariff measures are concluded, I think it is the right time. I have decided to step aside and leave room for the next generation," he added.

Amid the trade war rocking the world, Japan, the world's fourth-largest economy, got Donald Trump to sign an executive order on Thursday to reduce tariffs on Japanese cars as part of a trade deal.

Thanks to negotiations, Ishiba finally managed to negotiate a tariff on cars of 15% instead of the current 27.5%, while for many other products the levies will also be capped at 15%.

Party rebounding in the polls

The prime minister's announcement comes, however, at a time when the Ishiba government's image is improving among its voters.

Indeed, the latest polls suggest a rebound in support for Ishiba's government following the trade agreement with the US and the executive's decision to reverse the current rice policy to increase production.

A politician who promised to "create a new Japan"

Ishiba came to power in September 2024 with a promise to "create a new Japan," revitalize rural regions and address the "silent emergency" of a declining population.

He immediately called elections to the Lower House and in these elections, in October 2024, his party obtained its worst results in 15 years and the coalition with which he governs lost its majority.

Last July, they lost their majority in the Senate and speculation began about his possible resignation, with Ishiba's detractors in his party calling for his resignation to take responsibility for the election results.

Avoiding divisions

NHK broadcaster indicated that Ishiba wanted to avoid divisions within his party, a conservative formation that has dominated the political landscape in Japan and has ruled almost uninterruptedly in recent decades. Meanwhile, The Asahi Shimbun newspaper said the Japanese prime minister was unable to resist mounting pressure to resign.

The premier met Saturday night with Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, and former prime minister Yoshihide Suga, a party heavyweight, who urged him to resign, media reported.

Last week, four senior LDP leaders, including secretary general, Hiroshi Moriyama also resigned.

Ishiba's term as party leader was due to end in September 2027 and pressure grew last week to hold an early election in the formation, which in Japan's parliamentary system is tantamount to a no-confidence motion.

Ishiba's most prominent rival, Sanae Takaichi, considered a hard-line nationalist, all but declared Tuesday that she would run in this contest.