Ishiba's last stand? Japan's LDP in turmoil as Sanseito surge erodes PM's grip on power
Japan 's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office despite a stinging electoral rebuke that plunged his ruling coalition into fresh turmoil.
The humiliating setback, confirmed
late on Sunday , has fuelled doubts about Ishiba's leadership as rivals within his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) circle and stoked anxiety in the world's
fourth-largest economy , already reeling from rising prices, mounting security threats and the disruptive effects of US President
Donald Trump 's aggressive tariff regime.
In a sombre appearance on public broadcaster NHK two hours after polls closed on Sunday, Ishiba 'solemnly' conceded the 'harsh result'. 'It is a difficult situation that must be taken very humbly and seriously,' he said. Pressed on he intended to continue as Japan's leader, he replied: 'That's right'.
But Ishiba's leadership of the party and the country appears increasingly precarious. Signs of discontent have flared within the LDP since the vote, with former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi openly signalling her readiness to challenge the prime minister.
Addressing supporters in Nara prefecture on Friday, Takaichi declared the party was 'under scrutiny' and warned it might require drastic change to resurrect its fortunes.
Sanae Takaichi speaks before an LDP run-off election in September last year. The ex-economic security minister has been positioning herself as a possible successor to Ishiba. Photo: AP
'I have made up my mind in my own way,' Jiji Press quoted her as saying. 'I will once again firmly reset the party's backbone. I promise to fight for that.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump eyes autumn China trip, but September visit off the table: sources
US President Donald Trump is keen to visit China but a September visit is not happening, according to sources, who said Beijing and Washington were working to secure a trip in October or November. Hurdles remain, but high-level officials 'share a consensus', sources familiar with the matter told the South China Morning Post. Media reports earlier said that China planned to invite Trump to the Victory Parade in Beijing on September 3 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. With September now off the table, Trump might visit China before heading to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in South Korea, or he could meet Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the event between October 30 and November 1, according to sources. Sources also described the Kuala Lumpur meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his US counterpart Marco Rubio earlier this month as 'better than expected'. It was the first in-person engagement between the respective top diplomats – an essential step before any leader-level summit can occur – and both sides praised the meeting as 'positive'. Another person familiar with the discussions said there was a possibility of a meeting later this year, with two options under consideration: Trump could either visit China for bilateral talks before heading to the Apec summit, or attend Apec first and then travel to Beijing.
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Now is the time for a change in the mindset on LGBTQ rights
The freedom to use a suitable public toilet is a human right we can all relate to. Most of us know whether to use a washroom for women or 'gents'. But for transgender people in Hong Kong, the issue can be deeply troubling. Many face a dilemma when using toilets managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. They are required to choose one that corresponds to the sex stated on their identity card, often their gender at birth. Those making the difficult transition to the opposite gender might have to use a women's toilet when looking and dressing like a man, or vice versa. Many are so uncomfortable they don't use public conveniences at all. This unsatisfactory position must now change, with a High Court ruling last week declaring laws making it a criminal offence to use the 'wrong' FEHD toilet unconstitutional. Mr Justice Russell Coleman struck the regulations down, finding them to breach equality and privacy rights. He suspended his ruling for a year, giving the government time to find a solution. The case may seem trivial, but it is of great importance to the transgender community and raises the sensitive question of precisely when, during the transition, a person should be treated as having their acquired gender? Litigant K, who was born female but identified as male from an early age, was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2017. K undertook hormonal treatment and the 'real life experience' of consistently living as a man. An integral part of that process is using public toilets for men. Gender dysphoria is a medical condition that causes much distress and discomfort. It is a biological condition rather than a lifestyle choice, said the judge.
South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Chinese military blacklists aerospace institute over bid rigging
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has barred a Chinese aerospace institute from bidding on tenders amid claims of bid rigging – the latest suspension in a year-long crackdown on military suppliers. In a notice on Thursday, the PLA's procurement oversight department said the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) was suspended from taking part in military procurement for goods, projects, and services. The notice said the suspension was a penalty for bid rigging and collusion, but did not say how long the ban would last. The institute was also put on a military procurement suspension list in January, disqualifying its joint bid with Tsinghua University for a 150 million yuan (US$21 million) project. Details of the projects were classified but other bidders included the CAS Shanghai Advanced Research Institute and China Electronics System Engineering Company, suggesting the tender was for communications infrastructure. The aerospace institute was formed in 2019 through a merger of CAS institutes specialising in electronics, remote sensing and optoelectronics. It carries out core research in communication and information processing, aircraft design, remote sensing radar systems and electronic countermeasure systems – areas closely aligned with military needs.
