Japan PM decides to quit as opponents seek leadership election: reports

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has decided to step down, local media reported on Sunday, as members of his ruling party seek to hold a new leadership race following disastrous upper house elections.

The decision comes less than a year after the 68-year-old took the helm of the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He has since lost his majority in both houses of parliament.

Public broadcaster NHK said Ishiba made the decision to avoid a split in the party, while the Asahi Shimbun daily said he was unable to withstand the mounting calls for his resignation.

The farm minister and a former prime minister reportedly met with Ishiba on Saturday night to urge him to resign voluntarily.

Last week, four senior LDP officials including the party’s number two Hiroshi Moriyama offered to resign.

Opponents of Ishiba had been calling on him to step down to take responsibility for the election results, following the upper chamber vote in July.

LDP lawmakers and regional officials across Japan who want a new leadership election will submit a request on Monday.

The leadership race will be held if the required majority is reached.