Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Sunday announced his resignation after just 11 months in office, following the Liberal Democratic Party&rsquo;s (LDP) poor electoral performance.
&ldquo;I have decided to resign from my position as president of the Liberal Democratic Party,&rdquo; Ishiba, 68, declared in a televised press conference. He confirmed that Secretary-General Moriyama will begin the process of electing a new leader.
The decision comes a day before the LDP was set to decide on an early presidential election. The ruling coalition&rsquo;s defeat in Upper House polls, which cost the LDP-Komeito alliance its majority, intensified calls for Ishiba&rsquo;s exit.
&ldquo;With Japan having signed the trade agreement and the president having signed the executive order, we have passed a key hurdle,&rdquo; Ishiba said, his voice faltering. &ldquo;I would like to pass the baton to the next generation.&rdquo;
The LDP will hold an emergency leadership contest. Front-runners include Sanae Takaichi, a critic of the Bank of Japan&rsquo;s rate policy, and Shinjiro Koizumi, farm minister and rising party star.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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Shigeru Ishiba quits as Japan PM after LDP suffers major electoral setbacks

Japan PM Ishiba Resigns After Poll Defeat

Shigeru Ishiba quits as Japan PM after LDP suffers major electoral setbacks

September 7, 2025 | 21:48 IST