PanOrient News | Ishiba to quit as Japan’s prime minister after an unimpressive year in power

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Ishiba to quit as Japan’s prime minister after an unimpressive year in power

Sunday, September 7, 2025

(NHK)

PanOrient News

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru, in a display of his sense of responsibility, indicated on Sunday that he would take responsibility for the Liberal Democratic Party’s poor election showing in July and resign after just a year in office.

In a lengthy speech on Sunday, Ishiba said he wanted to avoid deep splits in the LDP. Ishiba has not proven to be a popular leader either within his own party or among the public.

“If the LDP loses the trust of the people, they could resort to populism,” Ishiba stated about some populist parties that made modest gains in July’s election. “We must be a party that supports the people. There is a divide in the party, which was not my intention. If the LDP doesn’t change, there will be no hope for the party.”

Ishiba, with a determined spirit, admitted that he hadn’t been able to win the trust of the voters and apologized for this while promising to tackle the vital issues of the day before he leaves. He also left with a list of what he believes he has achieved and what still needs to be done.

One of the biggest issues was that of US tariffs, with Japan facing high tariffs from US President Donald Trump’s administration. Ishiba said it was the right time for someone else to take over negotiations for this critical issue.

Ishiba said he was proud to have passed 67 of the 68 bills his government submitted to parliament, adding that he wanted to help those who were suffering economically. One of his measures was to increase the minimum wage to 1,121 yen ($7.62), and he also doubled the budget for the Disaster Prevention Office.

One problem his government failed to address to the satisfaction of the voters was the price of rice, which doubled in recent months. Ishiba said rice production will be increased and the rice market stabilized.

Ishiba has always taken a keen interest in defense matters, and he was proud of advancements in the US-Japan alliance, as well as reinforcing relations with ASEAN and Indo-Pacific nations. He observed the increase in China's military capabilities, citing the recent Chinese military parade as well as growing tensions with Russia and North Korea. He emphasized that Japan must respond appropriately to the rising military assertiveness in the region.

In what appeared to be a swipe at the United States, Ishiba said, “We need to strengthen our defense capabilities ourselves instead of being told by someone else that we need to strengthen our capabilities voluntarily.”

Ishiba has been eager to revitalize regional areas and increase pay for essential workers, such as healthcare professionals, while also addressing the needs of the social security system.