Japan's prime minister Shigeru Ishiba: says 1 in Tokyo

Japan's prime minister Shigeru Ishiba: says 1 in Tokyo

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced his intention to remain in office despite his ruling coalition's loss of a majority in the upper house of parliament following the recent elections. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior coalition partner Komeito were short three seats to maintain a majority in the 248-seat upper house, leaving the coalition as a minority in both parliamentary chambers [1].

Prime Minister Ishiba's decision to stay on comes amidst significant challenges, including rising prices and high U.S. tariffs. The coalition's inability to secure a majority in the upper house has made it difficult for them to pass legislation, but the upper house lacks the power to file a no-confidence motion against the leader, allowing Ishiba to continue in office [1].

Ishiba has stated that his priority is to avoid creating a political vacuum and to tackle the pressing issues facing the country, including the Aug. 1 deadline for a tariff deal with the U.S. The prime minister hopes to reach a mutually beneficial agreement and meet with U.S. President Donald Trump "as soon as possible" [1].

The election results reflect growing public discontent with the government's handling of price increases and wage stagnation, particularly among younger voters. Emerging conservative and right-wing populist parties, such as Sanseito, have gained significant traction, while established liberal and centrist parties have struggled to gain ground [1].

Despite the challenges, Ishiba has resisted calls for his resignation and has indicated that he will stay on to address the pressing issues facing the country. He has called for further cooperation with opposition parties to tackle these challenges [1].

References:
[1] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/japans-ishiba-says-hell-stay-in-office-to-tackle-rising-prices-and-u-s-tariffs-despite-election-loss
[2] https://apnews.com/article/japan-politics-election-ishiba-parliament-vote-ldp-0abc031590660859c3ea0a5da9d83310