Japan's prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, announced he will resign as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and step down after growing pressure within his party following a poor showing in July's upper house election. Ishiba said he would remain in office as prime minister until the LDP elects a new leader.
Ishiba made the announcement at a Tokyo press conference on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, saying he had decided the timing was right after securing an agreement to ease U.S. tariffs on Japanese imports and in order to head off a deeper split within the party. He told reporters he had asked the LDP's general secretary to begin organising a party leadership election immediately and said there was no need for a party vote planned for Monday that would have amounted to a virtual no-confidence motion.
The move follows mounting calls from LDP colleagues — mostly from its right wing — for Ishiba to take responsibility for the coalition's setbacks in national elections. In July, the LDP and its coalition partner Komeito fell short of the 50 seats needed to retain control of the 248-seat upper house, winning 47 seats amid a surge in support for far-right nationalist parties. Media reports said his decision reflected concern that continued internal dissent risked further eroding public trust in the party.
Ishiba, who took office in October, acknowledged the election loss and cited economic challenges facing Japan, including a weak yen and rising costs for staple goods, as issues his administration had sought to address. He said his government had worked to help those ‘‘who are suffering’’ and that strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance remained a priority. "The U.S.-Japan alliance is making progress," he said, noting repeated calls and meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The prime minister said stepping down was a "very difficult decision" and expressed regret that he would not be able to continue certain diplomatic initiatives, but that he would "pass the torch" to the next leader. He warned that an erosion of confidence in the LDP could allow Japanese politics to "slide towards popularism."
Ishiba's resignation announcement came a day before the party was due to decide whether to hold an early leadership election. Party officials and media accounts said many lawmakers had been pressing for a change of leadership for more than a month, and that Ishiba had resisted those calls until now.
The July upper house results further weakened an already fragile governing coalition. Ishiba had previously called a snap lower house election for October after taking the party leadership, a gamble that backfired when the LDP suffered its worst performance in 15 years and lost its lower house majority. That outcome forced the government to rely on negotiation with opposition parties to pass legislation.
Ishiba, a veteran lawmaker known for his interest in defence policy, became the LDP leader on his fifth attempt. He is the son of a regional governor and is from Japan's small Christian minority. His tenure as party leader and prime minister saw efforts to revitalise rural areas and address demographic challenges, including Japan's shrinking population, which he described as a "quiet emergency."
His leadership also drew internal criticism and public scrutiny. Observers noted the LDP under Ishiba appointed only two women to the cabinet, down from five under his predecessor. Social media and political rivals highlighted several high-profile missteps and moments of awkwardness that attracted public attention.
With Ishiba remaining as caretaker prime minister, the LDP must now organise a leadership contest to choose his successor. Party officials have been charged with setting the timetable and rules for the vote. The outcome will determine who leads Japan into the next parliamentary and policy battles and how the ruling coalition approaches economic policy, defence matters and relations with key partners, including the United States.
Political analysts said the party's choice of a new leader will be watched closely in Tokyo and abroad for indications of how Japan will respond to the recent gains by nationalist parties and whether the LDP can reclaim public confidence ahead of future elections. The immediate consequence is that the government will continue under a caretaker administration while the LDP conducts its leadership election, maintaining continuity of day-to-day governance and diplomacy until a successor is chosen.