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Yomiuri Shimbun
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Prime Minister Ishiba to Step down: Make Announcement Early to Allow Quick Formation of New Administration
Perhaps Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is thinking that he cannot toss out his administration given the schedule of important domestic and diplomatic events ahead. However, if Ishiba, having now become a lame duck, delays the announcement of his resignation, he will only prolong the political chaos. Ishiba initially indicated he would stay in office after his ruling coalition suffered a crushing defeat in the House of Councillors election, but now he likely is resolved to step down. It is believed that the conclusion of tariff negotiations with the United States prompted his decision to resign. However, on the surface, Ishiba still asserts a desire to run the government. During a meeting with three former prime ministers — Taro Aso, Yoshihide Suga and Fumio Kishida — he made no clear statement on whether he would step down, he said. In the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, including in its local organizations, there is a growing movement calling for Ishiba to step down. In accordance with party rules, a campaign has begun to collect signatures to bring forward the party presidential election. If a majority of the party's Diet members and representatives from its prefectural chapters support this motion, a presidential election is supposed to be held. When the party presidency becomes vacant part way through a presidential term, for example, the party rules allow for the LDP's Diet members to vote on a leader at a general meeting of lawmakers in both houses, with no vote by rank-and-file members. This is meant to minimize as much as possible the risk of a political vacuum. With Ishiba's three consecutive losses as LDP president — in last year's House of Representatives election, the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election and the recent upper house election — it is obvious that he no longer has the people's trust. It is quite natural that there is a movement within the LDP calling for Ishiba to step down. However, Ishiba has indicated he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump after an agreement was reached in Japan-U.S. tariff talks. In August, memorial services are scheduled to be held on the anniversaries of the end of World War II and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), in which Japan has long taken the lead, will be held in Yokohama from Aug. 20 to 22. Ishiba plans to attend all of these events. Lawmakers close to Ishiba believe that a formal announcement of his resignation will be made after these events. However, if he delays his announcement, the party will not be able to officially start the process of choosing a new president. Japan's credibility abroad will suffer if intra-party strife intensifies and politics continues to be unstable. It would also be difficult for the ruling parties, which now comprise a minority in both houses of the Diet, to find a partner with whom to work toward a new coalition. In fact, Yoshihiko Noda, president of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, has called for Ishiba's resignation, saying, 'Will he stay in office by ignoring the will of the people?' Seiji Maehara, co-representative of the Japan Innovation Party, has also rejected the idea of forming a coalition with the Ishiba administration, and indicated that if the JIP were to cooperate, it would be with a 'post-Ishiba' LDP. In order to quickly choose a new party president who can readily cooperate with the opposition, Ishiba should announce his resignation soon, taking the formal agreement in Japan-U.S. tariff talks as his main achievement in office. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 25, 2025)
Japan Forward
5 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Forward
Why the LDP Lost the Election — and Still Doesn't Get It
Despite suffering a historic defeat in the 2025 Upper House election, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba initially made clear he had no intention of stepping down. He cited mounting economic pressures, trade tensions with the United States, and the risk of major natural disasters as justification for remaining in office. Ishiba then argued that his leadership is essential to avoid "political stagnation." At a July 21 press conference, Ishiba acknowledged the ruling coalition's losses but said his decision to stay or go "would not be guided by personal interest." However, facing mounting criticism within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Ishiba has since indicated that he will make a final decision on whether to resign sometime in August. On July 23, he said he plans to make a decision after attending a series of key events including the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombing memorial ceremonies and the upcoming Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). If he chooses to step down, a party leadership election is likely to take place in September, with a special Diet session to select a new prime minister expected by October. But to many observers, the problem isn't just stagnation. It's that Ishiba and the LDP don't seem to grasp why voters turned against them in the first place. This isn't Ishiba's first time at the center of a post-election crisis. In 2007, following a major LDP loss under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Ishiba publicly urged Abe to resign unless he could convincingly explain why he should remain in office. Now, under strikingly similar circumstances, Ishiba insists he's applying the same logic to himself. But voters seem to see a contradiction and, worse, a lack of accountability. It is worth noting that Ishiba's defeat marks the first time in 70 years the LDP has not led either house. It's not just perceived hypocrisy. Ishiba's aloof demeanor, lack of charisma, and chronically somber expression have drawn criticism. Some have noted his perpetually gloomy expression and piercing glare stand in stark contrast to his message about building a "fun Japan." Yet personality is only part of the story. The deeper issue is a growing perception that the LDP has become detached from its voter base, especially its conservative core. Instead of reaching out to those voters or expanding to the left to attract swing voters, the party did neither. It stood still and paid the price. Sanseito, a right-leaning populist party, capitalized on the void. It gained support across diverse demographics and geographic areas. In places like Kutchan (Hokkaido), Kawaguchi (Saitama), Oizumi (Gunma), and Ichinomiya (Aichi), towns struggling with tensions tied to large foreign populations, Sanseito saw its strongest showings. It directly addressed long-ignored local grievances about migrant rule-breaking and social disruption. Meanwhile, the LDP offered little more than platitudes or silence, largely avoiding public debate on immigration until late in the campaign. Sanseito lawmaker Saya at the National Diet, July 22 (©Sankei by Shimpei Okuhara) According to LDP insiders speaking on Fuji TV's July 20 Live Election Sunday, Sanseito's rise was a key factor in the coalition's loss of a majority for the first time in history. However, instead of reflection, many in the LDP turned to blame, targeting Sanseito, social media, or even the voters themselves. Former Upper House LDP leader Keizo Takemi, who lost his seat in Tokyo, became a symbol of this disconnect. Takemi insisted that all new tax revenues be devoted to social security, dismissed tax cut proposals as "populist," and called for restrictions on political discourse on social media. The result? A decisive defeat. Some within the party continue to insist that the defeat was due to last year's political fundraising scandals. But, as journalist Rui Abiru made clear, that's a shallow excuse. The core issue is policy arrogance and a refusal to engage with dissenting voices. "The LDP's message got through just fine," Abiru said on a July 22 broadcast. "Voters understood it, and rejected it." Perhaps the most damning was the symbolic loss of Wakayama, an LDP stronghold. Nobuyasu Nikai, the son of LDP heavyweight Toshihiro Nikai, ran an aggressive campaign bolstered by senior party figures, but still lost. His pledge? "Bring back the pandas," a callback to his father's pet soft-power project. Adventure World in Wakayama had just recently returned all of its giant pandas to China. Furthermore, the LDP's refusal to evolve is also visible in its outdated communication strategy. Few party members use X (formerly Twitter) effectively. Those who do often post innocuous photos of bento lunches or train rides. In contrast, Sanseito ran a data-driven, aggressive campaign that tapped into local frustrations and national sentiment. The final tally confirmed what voters had been signaling for months: that the LDP's support was eroding not just among swing voters, but among its conservative base. And unless the party begins listening to its own constituents, to critics, and to the data, it risks falling further behind. "There's no such thing as a mysterious loss," said analyst Yosuke Naito on a July 22 news broadcast. "When you ignore the electorate, eventually they return the favor." The question now is whether the LDP will take that lesson to heart, or keep blaming everyone but itself. Unless it can do that, it may make little difference who leads the party. Author: Daniel Manning
Japan Today
13-07-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
Japan's aid agency to issue ¥23 bil Africa-support bonds in August
The Japan International Cooperation Agency will issue bonds worth around 23 billion yen ($160 million) next month to raise funds for infrastructure, education and other development needs of African nations. The bond issuance will coincide with Japan's cohosting of the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama, near Tokyo, on Aug 20-22. Government-backed JICA is hoping to target local governments, regional financial institutions and Japanese companies that are seeking to invest in the fast-growing, resource-rich continent and encourage them to purchase the bonds, with maturities of either three or five years. "As Africa, with its large young population, holds significant growth potential, support (through the bonds) will help Japanese companies expand into the region," said Motohiro Matsumura, director of JICA's Planning and TICAD Process Division. The issuance volume of the Africa TICAD bonds is expected to nearly double from 12 billion yen, issued under a similar scheme in 2019, when the international conference known as TICAD was last held in Japan. Part of the funds raised through the bonds then was used to finance projects such as the construction of a bridge over the Nile River in Uganda to support logistics, and in the building of geothermal infrastructure in Kenya. For this time, JICA plans to use the bonds also to promote Japanese-style education that fosters discipline through school activities and provide loans to farmers via financial institutions. Cohosted by Japan and several multinational organizations, TICAD has been held every three years since its fifth session in 2013. Prior to that, the conference took place every five years following its launch in 1993. © KYODO
The Mainichi
13-07-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Japan's aid agency to issue 23 bil. yen Africa-support bonds in Aug.
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japan International Cooperation Agency will issue bonds worth around 23 billion yen ($160 million) next month to raise funds for infrastructure, education and other development needs of African nations. The bond issuance will coincide with Japan's cohosting of the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama, near Tokyo, on Aug. 20-22. Government-backed JICA is hoping to target local governments, regional financial institutions and Japanese companies that are seeking to invest in the fast-growing, resource-rich continent and encourage them to purchase the bonds, with maturities of either three or five years. "As Africa, with its large young population, holds significant growth potential, support (through the bonds) will help Japanese companies expand into the region," said Motohiro Matsumura, director of JICA's Planning and TICAD Process Division. The issuance volume of the Africa TICAD bonds is expected to nearly double from 12 billion yen, issued under a similar scheme in 2019, when the international conference known as TICAD was last held in Japan. Part of the funds raised through the bonds then was used to finance projects such as the construction of a bridge over the Nile River in Uganda to support logistics, and in the building of geothermal infrastructure in Kenya. For this time, JICA plans to use the bonds also to promote Japanese-style education that fosters discipline through school activities and provide loans to farmers via financial institutions. Cohosted by Japan and several multinational organizations, TICAD has been held every three years since its fifth session in 2013. Prior to that, the conference took place every five years following its launch in 1993.
New Straits Times
13-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Japan's aid agency to issue 23 bln yen Africa-support bonds in Aug
TOKYO: The Japan International Cooperation Agency will issue bonds worth around 23 billion yen (US$160 million) next month to raise funds for infrastructure, education and other development needs of African nations, Kyodo News Agency reported. The bond issuance will coincide with Japan's cohosting of the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama, near Tokyo, on Aug 20-22. Government-backed JICA is hoping to target local governments, regional financial institutions and Japanese companies that are seeking to invest in the fast-growing, resource-rich continent and encourage them to purchase the bonds, with maturities of either three or five years. "As Africa, with its large young population, holds significant growth potential, support (through the bonds) will help Japanese companies expand into the region," said Director of JICA's Planning and TICAD Process Division Motohiro Matsumura. The issuance volume of the Africa TICAD bonds is expected to nearly double from 12 billion yen, issued under a similar scheme in 2019, when the international conference known as TICAD was last held in Japan. Part of the funds raised through the bonds then was used to finance projects such as the construction of a bridge over the Nile River in Uganda to support logistics, and in the building of geothermal infrastructure in Kenya. For this time, JICA plans to use the bonds also to promote Japanese-style education that fosters discipline through school activities and provide loans to farmers via financial institutions. Cohosted by Japan and several multinational organisations, TICAD has been held every three years since its fifth session in 2013. Prior to that, the conference took place every five years following its launch in 1993. — BERNAMA
