Why Another Japanese Prime Minister Stepped Down—and What Lies Ahead”

Why Another Japanese Prime Minister Stepped Down—and What Lies Ahead”

Ishiba’s resignation has been a long time coming, especially following two consecutive election losses for the Liberal Democratic Party, which he leads. The LDP, which has governed Japan for most of the post-war era, and its coalition partner lost their parliamentary majority in the lower House as a result of snap elections Ishiba called last October. In July, the coalition took another blow after failing to secure a majority in the Upper House, marking the first time since 1955 that the LDP did not hold a majority in either chamber. Since then, Ishiba has faced growing calls from within his party to step down. Ishiba made the announcement a day before the LDP was to decide on holding an early leadership election—in effect, a no-confidence vote against him. In Japan, a premiership turnover is common, with the average tenure at about 2 years, and long-serving leaders like the late Shinzo Abe, who served two terms from 2006 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2020, are the exception, not the rule. Ishiba is now the third“revolving-door” leader since Abe, as the party enters one of its weakest eras, also at a time when Japan is reeling from runaway inflation and its citizens saddled with pocketbook issues. The leadership change in Tokyo is also happening under global uncertainties caused by Japan’s traditional ally, the U.S., under President Trump...Read more....