Japan PM to resign: Shigeru Ishiba hopes to avoid party split - Report

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba , on Sunday, decided to step down form his post as pressure mounts within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) for a leadership election, according to local media reports cited by AFP.

NHK reported that Ishiba chose to step down to prevent a split within the party, while the Asahi Shimbun said he could no longer withstand the growing calls for his resignation.

The decision follows a major setback months back (in July) when Ishiba’s coalition with Komeito lost its upper house majority in a national vote amid public discontent and US tariffs . At the time, most attendees reportedly urged Ishiba to take responsibility for the defeat and step down during an informal meeting.

Ishiba, who assumed office in October, had resisted calls from mostly right-wing rivals within his party for over a month.

His reported resignation comes just one day before the Liberal Democratic Party is set to decide on holding an early leadership election, a move seen as a virtual no-confidence vote against him if approved.

The ruling LDP-Komeito coalition saw its upper house seats fall from 141 to 122 in the 248-member chamber, falling short of a simple majority. While less powerful than the lower house, the upper house remains crucial for passing legislation.