Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba steps down from his position

In a surprising turn of events, Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced his resignation on Sunday evening (local time). The resignation comes less than a year into his term and follows increasing criticism and calls for resignation within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

The resignation will lead to the election of a new party leader. Since the parliamentary election in July, Ishiba's coalition, consisting of the LDP and its junior partner Komeito, has been a minority government. The loss of the majority was also due to losing it in the more powerful lower house in October.

The loss of the parliamentary majority has been a significant challenge for Ishiba, who has faced calls for resignation due to this setback. Four senior LDP members, including its Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama, had already offered their resignations last week.

Ishiba, however, has shown his commitment to fulfilling his duties until a new party leader is elected. He has been a key figure in Japanese politics for many years, having served as a member of the Diet, the Japanese parliament, and holding various cabinet positions.

The new leader of the LDP has not been officially confirmed yet, but key candidates include Toshimitsu Motegi, Sanae Takaichi, Shinjiro Koizumi, and Yoshimitsu Hayashi. Motegi, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, has already declared his candidacy.

The resignation was due to the mounting pressure within the LDP. Last weekend, Japan's Agriculture Minister and a former prime minister met with Ishiba to urge him to resign voluntarily.

This development is expected to shake up Japanese politics and the direction of the LDP. The election of a new party leader will be closely watched by both domestic and international observers.