Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba announces his readiness to resign

In a surprising turn of events, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan has announced his resignation, effective immediately. The decision comes amidst a wave of criticism within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) following the coalition's defeat in the July upper house election.

The resignation was reported by Mainichi, and it is believed that the LDP's elders, including former prime minister Yoshihide Suga and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Taro Kono, played a role in persuading Kishida to avoid a split in the party.

Kishida's resignation was a move that was met with negative reactions from his supporters, who had hoped for a change in the political landscape through snap elections. However, as of the report, no snap elections have been called.

The LDP has not yet announced a new leader, but candidates for the position include Toshimitsu Motegi, Yoshimasa Hayashi, and Sanae Takaichi. The next Prime Minister of Japan will be determined through a leadership election by the LDP, scheduled for October 4, 2025.

The resignation follows a series of events that began in July, when U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to impose high tariffs on Japanese imports. In response, Kishida agreed with the U.S. to reduce tariffs to 15 percent for Japanese goods, under certain conditions.

However, despite the agreement, the U.S. still imposed higher tariffs on Japanese goods in August, excluding Japan from the "special relationship" regime. This move further fueled criticism within the LDP, leading to Kishida's decision to resign.

Before his resignation on September 5, Prime Minister Kishida announced the signing of an executive order with Trump to bring into effect the trade agreement between Japan and the U.S. on tariffs. This agreement is expected to have a significant impact on the Japanese economy and its trade relations with the U.S.

The LDP plans to begin collecting signatures from lawmakers on September 8 to determine the need for party presidential elections earlier than the scheduled 2027. The upcoming leadership election will be a crucial moment for the LDP and the future of Japanese politics.