Overview

• Shigeru Ishiba announced on Sept. 7 that he will step down as LDP president and continue as caretaker until a successor is chosen.
• The ruling party is moving to a rapid interim contest, with debate over a full member ballot versus a shortened delegate-only format; the Kanagawa chapter urged party member participation.
• Ishiba cited election setbacks and said U.S. tariff talks had reached a pause point that made this a suitable moment to hand over.
• He indicated that counsel from former prime minister Yoshihide Suga shaped his decision to avoid deepening party splits.
• Media and party reporting highlighted Sanae Takaichi and Shinjirō Koizumi as leading prospects to succeed him, with candidacies still coalescing.