Japanese Prime Minister Decides to Resign, Says Japanese Broadcaster

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has resigned from his position amid pressure following the defeat of his party, the Liberal Democratic Party, in the Upper House of Parliament, the equivalent of the Senate in Brazil, in July this year. The announcement was made on Sunday at 6:00 pm Tokyo time (6:00 am Brasilia time).
In his speech, the Prime Minister recalled the achievements of his government, such as the country’s diplomatic relations and poverty reduction programs.
The outcome of the election for the Upper House, which was decisive for his departure, represented one of the worst electoral defeats for the Prime Minister’s party, which has dominated Japanese politics for the past 70 years. In the election, the opposition won 77 seats, reaching 125 out of a total of 248 seats.
Hours after the polls closed, he told the public broadcaster NHK that he accepted the ‘harsh result.’ When asked about staying on as Prime Minister, he ruled out resignation and said he was engaged in ‘extremely crucial negotiations’ with the U.S. ‘We must never disrupt these negotiations,’ he said.
He was referring to the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Ishiba’s government action had an impact, reducing the rate from 24% to 15%, a significant move for a country already struggling with inflation.
However, in addition to the defeat in the Upper House, the party’s worst performance in Lower House elections in 15 years in October last year added to the pressure.
Ishiba took office last October and promised to combat inflation, as well as reform the party. However, in June, the inflation rate reached 3.3% annually and was marked by a rice shortage. The Prime Minister’s migration policy was also criticized.
In power in Japan almost continuously since 1955, the LDP now faces challenges posed by new political parties, particularly right-wing ones, which are eroding its support and growing in influence and popularity.
One of them is the Sanseito, a party that won 14 seats in the Upper House in the election in which the LDP lost its majority. The right-wing party was projected to secure six seats, surpassing its own expectations. Founded five years ago, the party emerged following videos on Secretary-General Sohei Kamiya’s YouTube channel, which spread false information about vaccines and Covid-19, as well as preached historical revisionism regarding the country’s involvement in World War II.
The party’s motto is ‘Japanese First,’ created to undermine Ishiba’s migration policies, reminiscent of Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ slogan.