What does it mean for China if Japan's Shigeru Ishiba stays or steps down?
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba steps down following a crushing electoral loss.
Ishiba, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has come under intense pressure since the ruling coalition's defeat in
upper house elections on Sunday
It is the first time since 1955 that the ruling coalition does not have a majority in the upper and lower houses but LDP heavyweights have so far held off on calling publicly for his resignation.
The Mainichi Shimbun newspaper reported on Wednesday that Ishiba told close advisers that he planned to step down by late August. But later in the day Ishiba
denied the report and told reporters that he had not discussed whether he would stay on or step down during the meeting.
While it is not clear which way he will go, his prospects may have improved with a reported
trade deal between the United States and Japan
02:04
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to resign by the end of the month
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to resign by the end of the month
If Ishiba does step down, it will trigger a leadership contest with behind-the-scenes manoeuvring among potential candidates anticipated. The new LDP leader could be elected around September.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
44 minutes 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.
South China Morning Post
44 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
Alibaba previews its first AI-powered glasses, joining China's heated smart wearable race
Alibaba Group Holding has entered the fierce smart glasses race in China, previewing its first pair of AI-powered glasses at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai – the country's largest annual AI event. The Quark AI glasses, named after Alibaba's AI assistant, were showcased to the public for the first time at the event on Saturday. The company said it had completed development of the product and was aiming for an official launch this year, although no specific date was provided. This marks Alibaba's debut in the smart glasses market, which has seen heightened local competition as domestic firms like Rokid and Xreal have rushed to release new products in recent months. Alibaba, owner of the Post, also struck a partnership with augmented reality glasses maker RayNeo earlier this year to provide AI support for the Hong Kong-based company's products. 'AI glasses will become the most important form of wearable intelligence – it will serve as another pair of eyes and ears for humans,' said Song Gang, head of smart terminal business at Alibaba's Intelligent Information business group, during a sub-forum. The move by the Hangzhou-based tech giant is part of a broader strategy to enhance its AI offerings. In February, Alibaba committed to investing US$53 billion in AI infrastructure over the next three years. Alibaba is doubling down on its investments into AI software and hardware. Photo: AP
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
AI experts urge US-China collaboration at Shanghai conference
Renowned scientists and business leaders from the US and China are calling for greater collaboration in the field of artificial intelligence amid growing concerns that humanity might lose control of the rapidly evolving technology. Advertisement At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) , which commenced in Shanghai on Saturday, Nobel laureate and AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton proposed the establishment of 'an international community of AI safety institutes and associations that works on techniques for training AI to be benevolent'. In his talk, Hinton acknowledged the challenges of international cooperation owing to divergent national interests on issues such as cyberattacks, lethal autonomous weapons, and the creation of fake videos that manipulate public opinion. However, he emphasised a critical common ground: 'No country wants AI to take over'. Hinton warned that AI was akin to a 'cute tiger cub' kept as a pet by humans, but which could become dangerous as it matured. He stressed the importance of preventing this scenario through international cooperation, drawing parallels to US-Soviet collaboration on nuclear non-proliferation during the Cold War. AI pioneer Geoffery Hinton proposes 'an international community of AI safety'. Photo: Handout Yan Junjie, founder and CEO of Shanghai-based AI unicorn MiniMax , said 'AGI [artificial general intelligence] will undoubtedly become a reality, serving and benefiting everyone'.
