Japan – PM Ishiba faces resignation calls from within LDP after election loss.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday faced tumultuous criticism and calls from within his own Liberal Democratic Party to resign after the ruling coalition’s bruising setback in the House of Councillors election. Ishiba, who has expressed his intention to stay on as Japanese leader, is arranging to meet with former Japanese prime ministers, including Taro Aso and Fumio Kishida as early as Wednesday, sources with knowledge of the plan said. The LDP heavyweights may discuss the next course of action.

Ishiba’s standing looks even more precarious as LDP lawmakers, particularly those known to be his critics, local chapters and even a junior member of the Cabinet have urged him to step aside. Japan has been plunged into political turmoil unseen in years now that the ruling camp is a minority in both houses of parliament. Some LDP lawmakers ramped up their pressure on Ishiba and his Cabinet members to resign and make way for the opposition to form a government.

The LDP’s election chief Seiji Kihara told a TV program that the ruling party going out of power is “an option.” He also revealed plans to step down from his post after analysing why the party suffered the election loss. The latest developments reflect a deepening sense of crisis within the party that has apparently lost many conservative votes to smaller opposition forces including the right-leaning populist Sanseito party.

Diet Affairs chief Tetsushi Sakamoto said the party leadership will decide its course based on the political schedule leading up to August, when Japan marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and hosts an international conference on African development.

A day after Sunday’s election, Ishiba expressed his resolve as prime minister to navigate what he described as a “national crisis” and avoid a political stalemate that could result if he leaves his current post. He also cited ongoing tariff negotiations with the United States as a reason for not quitting. A country-specific 25 percent tariff is expected to take effect on Aug. 1.

Hiroshi Yamada, an upper house member of the LDP, said in a social media post, “The prime minister should take responsibility for the crushing defeat”.

Eikei Suzuki, an LDP House of Representatives lawmaker, also took to X to urge Ishiba to “make up his mind quickly,” adding, “I cannot help but say that he is playing down the election outcome”.

Yamada supported former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, who was defeated by Ishiba in a runoff vote in the LDP presidential election last year. The LDP and its junior coalition partner, the Komeito party, fell short of their target of retaining a majority in the 248-member upper house, now holding a combined 122 seats, three short of the majority line. Public opinion appears divided over whether Ishiba should step down, even as frustration is growing with his government’s handling of inflation.

About 51.6% of respondents in a Kyodo News poll released Tuesday said Ishiba should step down, while 45.8% saw no need for him to leave office. Still, support for his Cabinet fell to 22.9%, the lowest since he took office last year. The LDP is expected to hold a meeting of its members from both houses of parliament on July 31 to analyse the election result and discuss whether to continue supporting Ishiba. For now, Ishiba has decided to retain the current line-up of party executives, but he has not ruled out a reshuffle, with an eye on September when their terms end.

Former Foreign Minister Taro Kono, a known maverick in the LDP who ran against Ishiba in its leadership race last year, renewed his call for Hiroshi Moriyama, the party’s No. 2 figure, to resign.

“If the prime minister is staying on for the tariff negotiations, then Secretary General Moriyama should tender his resignation to take the blame for the election” result, Kono said on a TV program on Tuesday. An increasing number of LDP local chapters are urging Ishiba and Moriyama to step down.

“It’s a deplorable situation that will determine the party’s very existence“, said Yoshifumi Kimura, a senior member of the branch in Tochigi Prefecture near Tokyo.

Team Maverick