Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba Announces Resignation

Japan’s Prime Minister and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President, Shigeru Ishiba, announced Sunday that he will step down from his position following weeks of mounting pressure.

“I made a difficult decision to step down,” Ishiba said during a press briefing, as reported by NHK. He expressed his hope that members of the LDP would overcome the party’s internal divisions.

Ishiba had been considering his position since last year’s elections but decided the timing was right after certain results were achieved, including progress on a U.S.-Japan trade deal. Japan had struggled to finalize the agreement to protect its auto sector from high U.S. tariffs. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order implementing the deal, which includes 15% baseline tariffs on most Japanese goods, including cars.

The prime minister faced calls to resign after the LDP failed to secure a majority in the lower house elections in October. A recent party report attributed the losses in the upper house elections to public dissatisfaction with inflation measures, past political scandals, and weak voter turnout among young citizens.

Ishiba’s resignation marks a significant political shift in Japan as the ruling party looks to recover public confidence ahead of upcoming elections.