Japan's Prime Minister, Ishiba resigns over Election Losses

The Japanese Prime Minister (PM), Shigeru Ishiba has resigned from his position, barely a year of assumption to office, reportedly over election losses.

Ishiba, 68, announced his resignation at a press conference on Sunday, September 7, 2025.

This is coming just a few days after presenting the details of the Japan's trade deal with the United States to lower President Donald Trump’s punishing tariffs against the former.

The PM stated that he must take responsibility for a series of bruising election losses thus far.

Since coming to power less than a year ago, the unlikely premier has overseen his ruling coalition lose its majorities in elections for both houses of Parliament amid voter anger over rising living costs.

He instructed the ruling party, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) – which has ruled Japan for almost all of the post-war period – to hold an emergency leadership race, adding he would continue his duties until his successor was elected.

Ishiba said: “With Japan having signed the trade agreement with the US and the president having signed the executive order, we have passed a key hurdle.

“I would like to pass the baton to the next generation.”

There had reportedly been series of calls for the PM to resign since the latest of those losses in an election for the upper House in July, 2025.

The LDP had been scheduled to hold a vote on whether to hold an extraordinary leadership election on Monday, 8th September, 2025.