Cornered by Rivals, Japan’s Prime Minister Chooses Resignation Over Ouster

Cornered by increasingly powerful rivals within his own party, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has chosen to resign rather than face the humiliation of being formally ousted. His announcement on Sunday ends a brief and politically damaging term in office.
The walls had been closing in on Ishiba for months. The primary ammunition for his opponents was the loss of the LDP coalition’s majorities in both parliamentary chambers, which they blamed squarely on his leadership. Disaffected MPs were preparing to force a vote to unseat him this week.
By announcing his departure, Ishiba takes control of the narrative, framing it as a selfless act to preserve party unity. He told reporters he wanted to avoid a “decisive” split and take responsibility for the party’s poor showing in recent elections.
The power vacuum he leaves will be filled following a party election in early October. The contest will likely be fierce, as various LDP factions vie to install their preferred candidate as the next prime minister of Japan.