Overview

• Ishiba said he stepped down to take responsibility for defeats and to prevent a damaging split within the LDP.
• He will remain in office as caretaker and will not run in the internal election to choose his successor.
• The governing coalition has lost its majority in both chambers, leaving the next leader to bargain with opposition parties to pass laws.
• The resignation followed a U.S.–Japan trade milestone, with Washington agreeing to cut tariffs on Japanese autos to 15%.
• The LDP is expected to hold a leadership vote in early October, with Shinjiro Koizumi, Sanae Takaichi and Yoshimasa Hayashi cited as leading contenders.