Japan Faces Political Uncertainty Again as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba Resigns

Tue Sep 30 2025 03:50:31 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Following two major electoral defeats, Shigeru Ishiba steps down, leaving Japan with the challenge of selecting its fourth prime minister in five years amidst a period of rising costs and weakened political power.

Shigeru Ishiba has resigned as Japan's prime minister after less than a year, following significant losses for the Liberal Democratic Party in recent elections. His departure sets the stage for another leadership contest as the country confronts the challenges of inflation, a weakened yen, and critical relationships with neighboring countries. The party is expected to select a new leader soon, with potential candidates emerging amidst concerns over maintaining party unity and addressing voter dissatisfaction.

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced his resignation after less than a year in the role - following two crushing election losses in mid-term elections.

His resignation came a day before opponents in his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) were expected to vote him out.

His departure sets the stage for yet another ruling party leadership contest in Tokyo, the third in five years. That is apart from two national elections - neither of the winners completed their term.

But the country's future leader now faces a daunting task - balancing fraught US-Japan relations, rising inflation and a cost of living crisis, and a government that has lost its majority in both houses of parliament.

Why did Ishiba resign?

In 2020, Yoshihide Suga - who was previously the party's Chief Cabinet Secretary - stepped up to the role after the surprise resignation of the late Shinzo Abe, who had stepped down due to health issues.

After just a year in power, Suga resigned due to plummeting polls - and was replaced by Fumio Kishida, who then went on to win the election late in 2021.

But Kishida didn't last long either - his popularity plunged in the wake of a corruption scandal involving the LDP, rising living costs and a slumping yen.

And in 2024, he was replaced by Ishiba - who announced plans for a snap election just days after being elected, saying it was important for the new administration to be judged by the people as soon as possible.

Many in the electorate were still furious over the corruption scandal that implicated senior members of the LDP, and were struggling to deal with rising inflation and a cost of living crisis. They delivered the LDP its worst result in over a decade and caused it to lose its single-party majority in the powerful lower house.

The LDP suffered another defeat in the upper house parliamentary elections where it also lost its majority. Ishiba resisted calls for him to step down at first, saying he needed to take responsibility for the LDP's losses and to deal with a trade deal with Washington. But on Sunday, ahead of an internal leadership vote that could have forced him out, he bowed out, announcing his resignation.

Voices had been mounting from within the party that the PM must take responsibility... [and] the writing was on the wall, said Tomohiko Taniguchi, a specially appointed professor at the University of Tsukuba.

Who might be the country's next leader?

The LDP vote is expected in early October, with the winner almost certain to become prime minister. No one has announced their intention to run, but there are three names that have emerged as possible contenders: Shinjiro Koizumi, the agricultural minister and son of a popular former prime minister; Yoshimasa Hayashi, the chief Cabinet secretary; and Sanae Takaichi, who would be Japan's first female prime minister if she won.

Both Koizumi and Hayashi are considered notable figures, while Takaichi had a strong showing against Ishiba in the previous presidential race in 2024. All three leaders come with different values and approaches that could influence Japan's political landscape.

What challenges will the next leader face?

The new leader faces the challenge of bringing together a weakened party and someone who can bring back voters to the LDP. Japan is seeing a drift towards the far-right, with the nationalist Sanseito emerging as one of the biggest winners of Japan's recent upper house parliamentary election.

The incoming prime minister will also have to navigate Tokyo's tricky relationships with its neighbors. President Biden's administration has indicated demands that Tokyo reassess its defense spending, alongside recent tensions with China.

As Japan seeks stability amid these political upheavals, the question remains whether the new leadership can finally break the cycle of political instability that has plagued the country for the last two decades.