Whatever hopes Shigeru Ishiba once had for remaining prime minister were dashed. Despite a brief uptick in polling numbers after the Liberal Democratic Party¡¯s electoral defeat in this summer¡¯s Upper House race, the damage from three consecutive failed elections proved irreconcilable to Ishiba¡¯s party mates.
Facing a recall vote that was scheduled for Monday where the LDP¡¯s parliamentary members and prefectural chapters would decide on Ishiba¡¯s fate, the prime minister opted to make the decision himself and threw in the towel.
What this means is that the party will soon hold another vote to choose the LDP¡¯s new president, who will in turn likely become Japan¡¯s next prime minister. For those seeking to understand what is brewing in Japanese politics, it is helpful to examine what happened and what lies ahead.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.