Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation on Sunday, plunging the world’s fourth economy and an ally of the United States in a new political uncertainty in the middle of the increase in life costs and increasing tensions in the region.
“I have always said that I do not intend to hang on to this position and that I would make a decision at the right time after having accomplished what should be done,” he told a press conference.
Ishiba finalized the details of a trade agreement with the United States last week, under which Japan promised $ 550 billion in investments in exchange for lower rates in its automotive sector.
Ishiba called the Trump administration’s pricing measures a “national crisis”, but said that the negotiations had now reached a conclusion, allowing him to withdraw.
“I think it’s precisely the appropriate timing,” he added. “So I decided to withdraw and give way to my successor.”
Ishiba said he had asked his liberal democratic party to hold an emergency leadership race, adding that he would continue in the role until a successor is elected.
Since Ishiba took office last year, his coalition led by the LDP lost his majority in the elections for the two rooms in the Parliament in the middle of the anger of voters concerning subsistence costs, including a historic defeat during an election for the upper chamber of Japan in July.
He had faced growing calls to resign, mainly right-wing opponents within his own party, who governed Japan throughout the post-war period.
Ishiba said the responsibility for the results of the elections “is based on myself as president of the party”.
The requests for early leadership elections or the resignation of Ishiba obtained a pursuit of the field last week when LDP adopted an examination of its loss of the upper chamber in July, which called for a “complete overhaul” of the party.
Her party was to vote on Monday on the holding of a first election in management, a virtual motion without confidence against Ishiba if it is approved.
