 "Japan PM Shigeru Ishiba resigns: Will the country finally get its first woman leader?")
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned on Sunday after pressure from members of his own party to accept responsibility for the heavy defeat in July’s parliamentary election.
Ishiba, who became prime minister in October, confirmed that he was leaving his post and stepping down as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy and a close ally of the United States, now enters a phase of political uncertainty at a time of rising tensions with China and growing security concerns in the region.
So why did Ishiba resign? What happens next? And who is in the race to become the country’s next leader?
Let’s find out:
Why Japan’s PM resigned
The LDP has ruled Japan for most of the past seventy years, but under Shigeru Ishiba it lost its majority in the lower house for the first time in fifteen years, followed by another loss in the upper house in July.
His resignation came a day before the party was set to decide on an early leadership election, which would have effectively acted as a no-confidence vote if approved.
Ishiba said he took the “painful decision to resign” to prevent that move because “it would cause a critical division within the party, and that is absolutely not my intention.”
US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, particularly those targeting Japan’s key automotive industry, forced the country to cut its already weak growth forecast for the year. Ishiba struggled to build trust as Japan faced economic challenges, a rising cost of living and difficult ties with the US.
Inflation, including rice prices doubling in the past year, proved politically damaging.
Public support dropped further after several controversies, such as criticism over his choice to appoint only two women to his cabinet and reports of costly gifts given to party members, BBC reported.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAt a news conference on Sunday, Ishiba explained that he had planned for some time to take responsibility for his party’s defeat in the summer election but wanted first to make headway in tariff talks with the United States.
“Who would seriously negotiate with a government whose leader says he is stepping down?” Ishiba said.
Notably, in July, Ishiba’s coalition failed to keep a majority in the 248-seat upper house in a key parliamentary election, dealing a fresh blow to his government.
That defeat came after the coalition had already lost its majority in the more powerful lower house in October, just two weeks into Ishiba’s term.
Pressure for him to resign grew louder after the LDP last week called for a “complete overhaul” of the party following its losses.
What happens next?
Ishiba has asked his party to hold an emergency leadership vote, saying he will remain in office until a successor is chosen.
An LDP official told Reuters that the party is planning to hold the vote on October 4.
The process of selecting Japan’s next leader is now more complex, as during Ishiba’s time in office, the LDP and its coalition partner lost their majority in both houses of parliament.
So how does it work? Here’s a look:
The race for the party leadership
The first step is for the LDP to choose a new president to take Ishiba’s place. In the previous leadership race held in September 2024, candidates needed at least 20 nominations from party lawmakers to qualify.
Once nominated, candidates take part in debates and campaigns across the country before a vote involving lawmakers and the party’s grassroots members.
LDP’s vote
The LDP can hold either a “full-spec” election or a faster, simplified version.
In a full-scale contest, every lawmaker casts one vote, while grassroots members collectively have the same number of votes as the lawmakers in the first round. A candidate who wins a simple majority in that round becomes party president.
If no one wins outright, a run-off is held. In this round, each lawmaker again has one vote, but the grassroots share falls to 47 votes, one for each prefecture.
A simplified election restricts voting to LDP lawmakers and three representatives from each prefectural chapter, leaving out the wider membership.
The parliament vote
Because the ruling coalition no longer has a majority, the next LDP president is not automatically guaranteed to become prime minister, though it remains likely since the party is still the largest in the lower house.
By tradition, the lower house votes first to choose the next prime minister. Lawmakers can nominate any candidate from the chamber, and opposition leaders are often put forward as well.
Whoever gains a simple majority in the first round is confirmed.
The upper house then votes similarly, though only lower house members can be the prime minister. If the two chambers disagree, the lower house’s choice takes precedence.
Once in office, the new prime minister could also decide to call a snap general election to seek a fresh mandate from voters.
Who is in the race to become Japan’s Prime Minister?
With the ruling coalition losing its majorities in both houses of parliament, there is a small chance that an opposition leader could end up leading the world’s fourth-largest economy.
Japanese media reports suggest several senior LDP figures are preparing to contest the leadership race. Here are some of the main contenders:
LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY
1. Sanae Takaichi
If elected, Takaichi would become Japan’s first female prime minister.
A long-serving LDP politician, she has held posts including economic security minister and internal affairs minister. She narrowly lost to Ishiba in last year’s leadership race run-off.
She is known for opposing the Bank of Japan’s interest rate hikes and has called for more government spending to support the struggling economy.
2. Shinjiro Koizumi
Koizumi, the son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, represents one of Japan’s most prominent political families.
If successful, he would be the youngest prime minister in modern times.
He ran in the previous leadership race, campaigning as a reformer who could restore trust in a party hurt by repeated scandals.
3. Toshimitsu Motegi
A former foreign minister, Motegi is regarded as a skilled negotiator. He led trade talks with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer during Donald Trump’s earlier term.
He has also served as trade minister, economy minister and LDP secretary general.
CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN
1. Yoshihiko Noda
Noda, a former prime minister, heads the largest opposition party, the centre-left Constitutional Democrats.
As premier between 2011 and 2012, he worked with the LDP to pass legislation that raised the consumption tax to 10 per cent, gaining a reputation for fiscal discipline.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOR THE PEOPLE
1. Yuichiro Tamaki
Tamaki leads one of the fastest-growing parties in recent elections.
A former finance ministry official, he co-founded the Democratic Party for the People in 2018. He supports policies to increase household incomes by widening tax exemptions and cutting the consumption tax.
With inputs from agencies
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