Japan PM Shigeru Ishiba Resigns After Upper House Election Defeat

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his decision to step down as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) following the coalition's significant defeat in the July upper house election, which resulted in the loss of the majority for the first time since 1955. Ishiba took responsibility for the election results and expressed that the signing of a tariff agreement with the U.S. under President Donald Trump marked a milestone for his resignation. Despite initially resisting calls to resign to avoid political deadlock during economic struggles and high tariffs, mounting pressure from within his party, including right-wing opponents, led to his decision. Ishiba's resignation comes just before the LDP was set to decide on an early leadership election, seen as a no-confidence vote against him. He stated he would initiate the leadership contest process to select his successor, aiming to prevent party division. This political upheaval underscores the instability in Japan’s government amid economic challenges and international trade tensions.