Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced that he has retired after less than a year in the role, after two major election losses.

This move comes a day before his liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is expected to vote whether to hold an internal leadership vote that could force him.

LDP rules Japan for almost seven decades, but under Ishiba he lost his majority in the lower house for the first time in 15 years and then lost his majority in the upper house in July.

Japan, the fourth largest economy in the world and a key ally of the United States, is now facing a period of political uncertainty as tension rises with China and regional uncertainty.

“Now that the negotiations have been made on the US tariff measures, I believe this is exactly the right time,” Ishiba said, citing a deal signed last week to facilitate the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on Japanese cars and other exports.

Until Sunday, he resisted calls to resign, saying it was his responsibility to arrange a dispute with Washington before he retired.

“I strongly believed that negotiations on US tariff measures that could be described as a national crisis should be drawn to a conclusion under the responsibility of our administration,” he said.

The 68-year-old said he would continue his “people” responsibilities until a new prime minister is elected.

Ishiba, who took office in October 2024, promising to cope with rising prices, struggles to inspire confidence, as the country has been confronted with economic winds, a crisis of living costs and a destructive policy with the United States.

Inflation, especially the doubling of rice prices in the last year, has been politically harmful.

Public support further slid after a series of controversy, including criticism of his decision to appoint only two women in his office and give away expensive gifts to party members.